Last SacrificeVA Rose POV
by KrRiley
Summary: Last Sacrifice how i imagined it. Hope ya'll enjoy and please comment. Wanna know whatcha think of it. don't own it, wish i would, though... ;-D
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Oke, just for the start. I'm known here as roses' evil twin and I wrote this…because I have too much spare time, to be honest. I want to know what ya'll think of it so comment please and give me tips but be nice please. That was about it, hope you enjoy! ;-)_

**Last sacrifice § Chapter 1**

I was going crazy in here! I got up and started walking up and down my cell again.

It had been 5 days since I got convicted and all the time I had been locked up in this damned place. Lissa had only once visited, three days ago. She had tried hard to let her in and eventually she got an idea to get her in. She said she used her winning personality.

Yeah, right!

I got dizzy again so I sat down. barely eating something for 5 days doesn't really help me staying strong.

Yes, you heard right. 5 days without barely any food. They're probably afraid that I'll break out or something. Don't know how they're expecting me to do that though, you know, considering I'm being guarded by about 12, 13 guards.

Suddenly I heard muffled voices at the top of the stairs that lead down to my cell block. A dozen of guardians came down and I froze as I saw who was being dragged down between them and thrown in the cell opposite of me.

Dimitri.

I stumbled back to the wall till I hit it with my back and I slid down to the ground.

Ow, no!

No! No! No!

I thought they'd leave Dimitri alone because I surrendered, but they locked him up again anyway!

Damn it! Now it really had been for nothing!

In his cell Dimitri collapsed into a weak huddle of clothes. It was obvious he had been in a fight.

His lip was bleeding and he had a cut above his left eye. He even had a black eye! I had never seen him this…messed up! Not even during our field experience when he fought on a daily bases.

I noticed I was staring at him and I felt my heart ache.

I wanted to get back at the guardians for hurting him like this. I wanted to…

I called myself to a halt. _Don't do it rose, don't do it! You can't attack them now anyway and besides, why would you? Dimitri doesn't love you anymore, remember?_

I actually had my doubts, well; I was very confused about that since he gave me that look in court.

That look that said 'If you ask me, I'll fight till I bleed. I'll protect you, if that's what you need…' _(A/N: I couldn't help the rhyme. Read it somewhere on internet and thought it fit perfect for R&D ;-))_

As soon as the guardians moved away, leaving only two more behind to guard us, Dimitri cradled to his feet. He crawled over to the bars of his cell and his eyes lit up when they found mine.

He stared at me in awe, like he just had seen the thing that made him forget everything else in the world. I turned my head away from him, not able to look in his eyes without remembering how he used to look at me. Before…you know, _that _time…

"Roza…" he croaked. He was sounding even worse then he looked, but that wasn't what brought tears to my eyes.

It was that name. That fucking nickname he gave me.

Memories washed over me. How he used to laugh during our practices and then sigh when I had been my impulsive self again. "Oh, Roza…" he'd sigh and that was all it needed to make my whole freaking day…

But then you had something called The Irony of Life.

Today it only made me feel worse, because now, with the all the sweet words he had told me his last real words to me came back too.

_Love fades, mine has._

They cut my heart open and pierced it, every time i repeated them in my head.

Which was a _lot._

And now he was looking at me with such relieve in his (still beautiful) eyes that it seemed like he hadn't told me to move on, give up on him because he gave up on me. That he never told me he didn't love me anymore.

More talking at the top of the stairs and I only then realized that Lissa was coming down. My own emotions had been so out of control that I hadn't realized she was this near, probably trying to get to me again.

"Princess, she asked us to let no one visit her except her lawyer if it was really needed."

Lissa sighed defeated. Then her eyes lit up as a plan formed in her head. I groaned.

I taught her way too much sneakiness.

"Well, then I want to see Dimitri, he hasn't ordered me away has he?"

The guardian sighed and let Lissa pass.

I refused to look at her and turned my back to the bars.

Lissa called me in her head.

_Rose? Rose, come on! Please let me talk to you! I just want to make sure you're alright! That they're treating you well…_

A laugh escaped my lips.

It wasn't a very cheerful one though, more a 'can't believe you thought they might do that' laugh.

The guards had taken some distance from Dimitri and Lissa to give them privacy so they couldn't hear the next words that escaped my lips, even though I had sworn I wouldn't talk to them.

"What? Do you really think they'd threat the murderer of their queen like in a freaking spa?" I hissed sarcastically.

Lissa flinched at my words and I felt how much I hurt her through the bond. Immediately I felt so sorry, I wanted to get up and give her a hug through the bars.

I restrained myself with difficulty.

Dimitri had heard me too and through the bond I heard how he asked Lissa if I could hear her.

What a stupid question! Even for a rotten bastard for who I had risked everything to save him and then he had dumped me.

Lissa nodded as an answer and then she got an idea.

I was too shocked to react as she practically _pulled me into her head_ and so it felt like Dimitris next words almost seemed to be really spoken to me.

Which made it all that much worse…

"Rose? Rose, I beg you… listen to me." His voice sounded so pained…

"We want to help you! We're going to get you out of here, but you have to let us come to you… I…I want to tell you Rose… what you mean to me. I need to speak to you, Rose. Please… please, Roza."

I stiffened.

He didn't just say that!

That swirling feeling that mastered me always when he said my name like that was paired with something else now…

Hate.

Hate for the love I felt for him though he rejected me so many times.

Hate for the fact that now! NOW! He wanted to speak me!

When I tried so many times and he wouldn't even look at me.

That's exactly what I told him.

I sprang up and pressed myself up against the bars.

"OW SHUT UP! Stop it with that fucking Roza! NOW you want to talk?" I hissed fiercely but when Dimitri and Lissa flinched this time, I didn't care.

Who the hell did he think he was?

I was Rosemarie Hathaway, for fucks sake!

Did he expect me to come back to him immediately when he called or what like i was his freaking puppy?

"Roza I…" he started but I wouldn't let him finish.

Instead of the blazing hatred my voice had sounded like earlier it now turned cold as i walked to the back of my cell.

As cold as my heart when I thought about Dimitri.

"My name… is Rose, Mr. Belikov. Rose."


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Oke, just for the start. I'm known here as roses' evil twin and I wrote this…because I have too much spare time, to be honest. I want to know what ya'll think of it so comment please and give me tips but be nice please. That was about it, hope you enjoy! ;-)_

**Last sacrifice § Chapter 1**

I was going crazy in here! I got up and started walking up and down my cell again.

It had been 5 days since I got convicted and all the time I had been locked up in this damned place. Lissa had only once visited, three days ago. She had tried hard to let her in and eventually she got an idea to get her in. She said she used her winning personality.

Yeah. Right.

I got dizzy again so I sat down. Almost eating nothing, beside some bread every two days, for 5 days doesn't really help me staying strong.

Yes, you heard right. 5 days with barely any food. They're probably afraid that I'll break out or something. Don't know how they're expecting me to do that though, you know, considering I'm being guarded by about 12, 13 guards.

Suddenly I heard muffled voices at the top of the stairs that lead down to my cell block. A dozen of guardians came down and I froze as I saw who was being dragged down and thrown in the cell opposite of me.

Dimitri.

I stumbled back to the wall till I hit it with my back and I slid down to the ground.

Ow, no!

No! No! No!

I thought they'd leave Dimitri alone because I surrendered, but they locked him up again anyway!

Damn it! Now it really had been for nothing!

In his cell Dimitri collapsed into a weak huddle of clothes. It was obvious he had been in a fight.

His lip was bleeding and he had a cut above his left eye. He even had a black eye! I had never seen him this…messed up! Not even during our field experience when he fought on a daily bases.

I noticed I was staring at him and I felt my heart ache.

I wanted to get back at the guardians for hurting him like this. I wanted to…

I called myself to a halt. _Don't do it Rose, don't do it! You can't attack them now anyway and besides, why would you? Dimitri doesn't love you anymore, remember?_

I actually had my doubts, well; I was very confused about that since he gave me that look in court.

That look that said 'If you ask me, I'll fight till I bleed. I'll protect you, if that's what you need…' _(A/N: I couldn't help the rhyme. Read it somewhere on internet and thought it fit perfect for R&D ;-))_

As soon as the guardians moved away, leaving only two more behind to guard us, Dimitri cradled to his feet. He crawled over to the bars of his cell and his eyes lit up when they found mine.

He stared at me in awe, like he just had seen the thing that made him forget everything else in the world. I turned my head away from him, not able to look in his eyes without remembering how he used to look at me. Before…you know, _that _time…

"Roza…" he croaked. He was sounding even worse then he looked, but that wasn't what brought tears to my eyes.

It was that name. That fucking nickname he gave me.

Memories washed over me. How he used to laugh during our practices and then sigh when I had been my impulsive self again. "Oh, Roza…" he'd sigh and that was all it needed to make my whole freaking day…

But then you had something that is called 'The Irony of life'.

Today it only made me feel worse, because now, with the all the sweet words he had told me his last real words to me came back too.

_Love fades, mine has._

And now he was looking at me with such relieve in his (still beautiful) eyes that it seemed like he hadn't told me to move on, give up on him because he gave up on me. That he never told me he didn't love me anymore.

More talking at the top of the stairs and I only then realized that Lissa was coming down. My own emotions had been so out of control that I hadn't realized she was this near, probably trying to get to me again.

"Princess, she asked us to let no one visit her except her lawyer if it was really needed."

Lissa sighed defeated. Then her eyes lit up as a plan formed in her head. I groaned.

I taught her way too much sneakiness.

"Well, then I want to see Dimitri, he hasn't ordered me away has he?"

The guardian sighed and let Lissa pass.

I refused to look at her and turned my back to the bars.

Lissa called me in her head.

_Rose? Rose, come on! Please let me talk to you! I just want to make sure you're alright! That they're treating you well…_

A laugh escaped my lips.

It wasn't a very cheerful one though, more a 'can't believe you thought they might do that' laugh.

The guards had taken some distance from Dimitri and Lissa to give them privacy so they couldn't hear the next words that escaped my lips, even though I had sworn I wouldn't talk to them.

"What? Do you really think they'd threat the murderer of their queen like in a freaking spa?" I hissed sarcastically.

Lissa flinched at my words and I felt how much I hurt her through the bond. Immediately I felt so sorry, I wanted to get up and give her a hug through the bars.

I restrained myself with difficulty.

Dimitri had heard me too and through the bond I heard how he asked Lissa if I could hear her.

What a stupid question! Even for a rotten bastard for who I had risked everything to save him and then dumped me.

Lissa nodded as an answer and then she got an idea.

I was too shocked to react as she practically _pulled me into her head_ and so it felt like Dimitris next words almost seemed to be really spoken to me.

Which made it all that much worse…

"Rose? Rose, I beg you… listen to me." His voice sounded so pained…

"We want to help you! We're going to get you out of here, but you have to let us come to you… I…I want to tell you Rose… what you mean to me. I need to speak to you, Rose. Please… please, Roza."

I stiffened.

He didn't just say that!

That swirling feeling that mastered me always when he said my name like that was paired with something else now…

Hate.

Hate for the love I felt for him though he rejected me so many times.

Hate for the fact that now! NOW! He wanted to speak me!

When I tried so many times and he wouldn't even look at me.

That's exactly what I told him.

I sprang up and pressed myself up against the bars.

"OW SHUT UP! Stop it with that fucking Roza! NOW you want to talk?" I hissed fiercely but when Dimitri and Lissa flinched this time, I didn't care.

Who the hell did he think he was?

I was Rosemarie Hathaway, for fucks sake!

Did he expect me to come back to him immediately when he called or what?

"Roza I…" he started but I wouldn't let him finish.

Instead of the blazing hatred my voice had sounded like earlier it now turned cold.

As cold as my heart when I thought about Dimitri.

"My name… is Rose, Mr. Belikov. Rose."

_A/N: wow, only up for a few hours and already nice comments! Thanks you guys! Alright. This is the second chapter. If you have any ideas for the story, please sent me them! I'd love to hear what you want to see err... read happening. LOL, RET (shortcut for Roses' EVIL Twin, I'll use that to sigh my Authors Notes from now on)_

**Last sacrifice § chapter 2**

After that, Lissa finally left. Her shoulders slumped and I knew I had hurt her.

Well, maybe this would finally keep her away.

She was the heir for the throne and the council wouldn't ease down with letting her take it when she was hanging out with the suspect of the murder of the last queen.

I sat down; too dizzy to stand any longer and aware of the worried stare that came from Dimitri.

His eyes never left me which started to get on my nerves but every time I'd try to turn my head to him so I could give him one of my infamous death glares my head started spinning so badly I barely could make it stop.

Even if I didn't move, my head started spinning now and my sight faded so I saw black spots.

Fuck, that wasn't a good sign, even I knew that.

I don't think I had ever felt this bad. No head rush after a night partying was anything compared to this. All I wanted was to lie down and never having to wake up because with being awake, also my problems were clear.

I thought about the letter that Queen Bit… Queen Tatiana (see, I'm learning!) had given me, about Lissa's half sibling, how I was going to get out of here without Lissa getting involved, about Abe 's words who still ringed through my head, about Adrian and of course as the inevitable… I thought about Dimitri.

Always Dimitri.

Why could he never leave my mind?

The answer to that was simple. Everyone who knew could tell.

Because I loved him, no matter what.

_Love fades, mine has._

The words pierced and stabbed around in my heart again.

All those questions and realizations made my head spin even harder, which was something to say because my head spun pretty hard already…

This went on for some time, the thinking, the headache I got from thinking.

But then, eventually, I finally slid into happy unconsciousness. Thanking whoever gave me that peace of mind…

I woke up from someone leaning over me and calling my name frantically.

I didn't want to wake up, my dream had been too beautiful.

It was me and Dimitri in the cabin, he still loved me and all those months of me being out to kill him never happened.

He was guarding someone else at court, I was guarding Lissa and we were in love.

So, so in love.

"Rose! Rose, wake up! Here, eat something, please!"

I felt something being held to my lips and responded to that automatically.

It was just plane toast with butter but I never had tasted anything that good before.

I struggled hard, and finally managed to open my eyes.

It was Adrian.

He leaned over me, a few guardians in the background, and was trying to get me to eat and drink something.

When he noticed I had my eyes opened I pulled me into a hug which I returned.

Though it was hard to admit when my heart still longed for Dimitri, I missed Adrian like crazy.

When I looked over his shoulder a smile crept up my face.

Through the guards' legs I saw Dimitri in his cell, glaring daggers at Adrian and me.

It shouldn't have, but it still gave me a satisfied feeling.

"You scared living hell out of me, Little Dhampir. Don't do that again, I won't be able to take it without you, you know…" Adrian whispered in my hair.

I pulled him even tighter to me, not to make Dimitri more jealous (I doubted if that was even possible) but just to have Adrian close to me.

Yes, I didn't feel the heartbreaking longing for him as I felt for Dimitri, but I loved him nonetheless.

He had never hurt me like Dimitri did. And I never really had given him a chance though he had been always so…understanding.

Not at all like _some _men here.

"Sorry, I promise I won't." I whispered, well _croaked_ back.

Adrian pulled back slightly to look me in the eyes, and then down my body. Not in a creepy, lustful way, he seemed to examine me. And by the look on his face, he didn't like what he saw.

"Sweet, Little, Dhampir…" he sighed "What have they done to you?"

I tried to pull off a smile, according to Adrian's face I failed miserably, and said:

"Better ask what they _haven't _done. You know I'm not good at going without food. I'm a big eater."

"Yeah, I know." Was the only response I got and he helped me sit up against the wall.

He barked a few orders to the guards who had come along into my cell.

"YOU! Get her some _real _food. And something to drink. You! Go to Princess Dragomir and ask for some clothes for Rose. But also tell her she can't come down here."

The guardians rejected.

"Mr. Ivashkov, we cannot leave you alone with the suspect. She'll…"

A harsh laugh from Adrian cut them off.

"Ow, for god's sake! Does she really look to you like she is even capable of _standing_? She is starving and dehydrated! Now GO and do what I told you. There are at least 12 other guardians here, so don't worry." He said harshly.

Everything started spinning again and I tried to blink my sight straight.

Adrian noticed immediately and he put a hand on my forehead.

"Dammit, little Dhampir. You're hot."

In a weak attempt to joke it off, I said: "I know. But it's always nice to hear it again."

The corner of his mouth twitched in to a faint form of a sad smile.

He carefully helped me up and carried me over to my 'bed'.

When he sat me down again, I immediately leaned back against the wall.

Finally, the guardians returned and I saw they had a bag from burger king with them.

Thank god! Meat!

Adrian supported me as I dug in and I was aware that Dimitri was still looking at us intensely.

What he fuck was wrong with that guy?

First, he loves me. Then, he tries to kill me. (Don't think that I blame him for that, he wasn't him back then. I just mentioned it because it would add some drama, and I really needed that right now!) After that, he basically tells me to fuck off and now, he stares at Adrian's arm that was draped around me like he wanted to rip it off!

That guy had some serious issues!

Once I finished my meal, I leaned into Adrian.

"How did you get in? I thought I asked them to keep you away…" I said sleepily.

"Well… I kind of said that I…" he hesitated like he didn't want to continue.

"Get it out, Ivashkov." I said, trying to get my old bravado back in my voice. Keyword-trying.

"Forgive me, Little Dhampir. I had no other choice then tell them I wanted to see the murderer of my aunt. I knew there would be no other way to get in…" his voice trailed off and I heard the shame in it.

"Adrian… I don't mind. I get it. But how did you find out I was unconscious?"

"Well, that was thanks to Belikov." Adrian said, sounding bitter at saying Dimitri's name.

"He needed to see you, he told us. But considering they wouldn't just let him in, he kept getting himself into trouble. Starting fights and stuff, until they finally arrested him. He apparently had been calling out to the guards for quite a while that that something was wrong with you, but they wouldn't believe him. When I came in I saw quickly enough something really _was_ wrong and I convinced them that you wouldn't try to make an escape, this way just wasn't your style."

We both smiled a little at that, knowing that it was true.

"I was lucky a friend of yours, Mikhail, was on guard. When I got in you barely had a pulse so I told them to get something to drink and eat and get you a doctor. The doctor gave you a shot with something and left saying he'd come check on you later and that he had to leave because a royal had gotten_ a flue._" His voice turned bitter at the end again.

I turned his face towards me.

"Thank you, Adrian. You saved my life."

"Always at your service, Little Dhampir. Always. But… as much as I don't want to say it… you should thank Belikov too." He said.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before I opened them again to stare at Dimitri through the bars.

I nodded once as thanks.

It was the way many guardians thanked each other for something and Dimitri seemed slightly hurt over me being so stiff about it, but he returned the nod anyway, and I saw a glint in his eyes of emotions I couldn't figure out because before I could read them he had already pulled up his 'guardian mask'.

I sighed again.

We needed to talk, and then I couldn't get my love for him get in the way.

I was with Adrian now, or at least, I thought so, but I needed to figure things out between me and Dimitri first.

The one thing I wondered was…_how_ I was going to talk to him before… before anything happened…


	3. Chapter 3

**Last Sacrifice § chapter 3**

The food and finally a good night of sleep had strengthened me and for the first time in a while I could think clearly.

They were right, I needed to get out of here, and the sooner the better.

I couldn't waste time with just hanging around here, doing nothing, when Lissa is supposed to get her spot on the council and I had to find her ticket, or rather _sibling,_ in.

_You must share this information with as few as possible._ Tatiana's words echoed through my head.

I buried my face in my hands, desperate for an answer that I could not find.

Dimitri was still staring at me, I could sense it, and when I looked up through my lashes I saw that weird look in his eyes again. This time he couldn't hide it quick enough and I saw, to my surprise, the same look in his eyes that he used to give me, the one that made me feel so warm and loved, together with a hint of desperation and this…commitment. Like he was vowing something to himself and through his eyes to me.

I realized this wasn't the time to make enemies so even I really didn't like it, I had to talk to Dimitri.

I knew he was as committed to protecting Lissa as I was and that I could trust him, no matter how many times he had lied to me, I remembered perfectly fine the vow he made to Lissa when he was locked up here.

The guards were finally convinced that I wouldn't try to escape (_yet)_ and they tuned the security down to six guardians.

I stood up and strolled around my cell because my legs had fallen asleep and still I felt Dimitri's gaze follow me and to my surprise I didn't find it hugely irritating like earlier but more comforting.

When I reached the bars, for a second I stared into his deep, beautiful brown eyes and decided I might as well try to talk to him normally now.

I leaned with my back against the wall next to the bars and slid down to the ground.

"So…" I started, still a bit awkward, "I thought I was the one who constantly got into fights instead of you, comrade." I stared at the wall before me almost hypnotic and only broke my gaze away to shoot Dimitri a small smile and a look from the corner of my eyes.

I chuckled when I saw his dumbfounded expression which soon smoothed out in a relieved sarcastic smile that he used to give me during practices, back at the academy.

"Well, you also used to get away with everything, but that luck you don't seem to posses either anymore." He tried to lighten the mood between us but he kind of put his finger on the painful spot.

"So it seems…" my voice trailed off as I was lost in thought.

Suddenly a deep bass voice interrupted the silence in the cell block.

I'd recognize that voice everywhere by now. Abe Mazur. My old man.

Who also didn't seem to have ever good news for me lately when he came around.

When he neared my cell he threw a weird glance at Dimitri before turning to me.

"I talked to Ivashkov. You alright?" Abe had a weird look in his eyes that I almost never saw.

He seemed very…protective? Was that the right word? I didn't know.

"Better, thanks. And… got any news, old man?"

Abe growled a bit at the 'Old Man'.

"Just be ready, no matter what happens." With that he turned and left, leaving me behind with only more questions.

I stared after him and muttered sarcastically to myself:

"Couldn't get it any vaguer of course!"

Not much later I suddenly saw a few guardians coming down with something I soon recognized as a bunch of dark clothes that were mine.

"The by lord Ivashkov requested clothes." Was all they said when the guards handed me them and then left again while the guards that were watching me took some distance so I had some privacy to change.

Dimitri, at the other side of the hallway between our cells looked away too.

That actually made me chuckle a bit.

"_You _ don't have to worry about seeing me naked, comrade. There won't be much surprises left anyway." I muttered so soft that only Dimitri could hear.

I laughed a bit harder when I saw he was blushing slightly but I noticed it cooled the mood down between us again.

I thought I probably should return to the 'ignoring what happened and going back to the old sarcasm from the academy' because it seemed to work for us best.

For now, at least. I somehow could sense it wouldn't last long because now I wasn't even really looking at him and it was hard to keep up appearances. To keep pretending nothing had happened.

I finished dressing and the guardians came back. I now wore simple black skinny jeans, a tight fitting long grey shirt with an electric guitar on it that I once bought at target and a pair of black converse shoes.

It were clothes in which I could easily run and climb (and fight), and I guessed that was Abe's idea.

He was still saying he was going to get me out of here and I could only hope he would.

I needed Lissa to get her spot on the council, wait, no, _all of us,_ Moroi and Dhampir alike, needed her to take her throne.

And it was up to me to get it for her. Great.

All of a sudden, two guardians came down and they walked over to Dimitri.

"If you're calmed down again, you're allowed to go." One of them said harshly.

Dimitri gave them both a cold look and only nodded his head once.

I stared longingly after him when he walked out of his cell and into the world with all the freedom that came with it.

I sighed to myself, dreaming about the freedom I probably would never have again.

I remembered Abe's words. _Just be ready, no matter what happens. _ Be ready? I thought about what I could do to get ready for a prison break when I remembered I hadn't trained for ages.

Well, considering I had nothing to do anyway, I dropped down on all fours and started doing push-ups.

One of the guardians gave me a weird look.

"What do you think you doing?" he asked incredulously.

I smiled mischievously.

"Just…spending my time useful. gotta be ready, no matter what happens."

_A/N: alright, I know this is way too short, or at least, in my eyes it is because I promised myself I would always write at least 4 full pages. I also wanted to ask for more ideas and comments, please! Ow and I wanna thank jacelover…(I'm sorry but I forgot the rest of your name :$ )for err… clearing stuff up for me! As I said, review and tell me what you'd like to see happening, __**please!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Last sacrifice chapter 4

When I tried to fall asleep that night, I just couldn't find my rest.

My mind was getting haunted by millions of questions.

Huh, like that was a first! I thought to myself sarcastically.

I took a deep breath and turned around in my 'bed'.

I wondered how Lissa was, again. Through the bond I felt, of course, worry, like that was something new, and this…determination. Shit, she was planning something and I didn't like it one bit!

_She, _of all people, should stay out of this!

I decided quickly, before I could change my mind...

I know it probably wasn't fair that I could see her, and she couldn't see me, but this was justified!

At least that's what I told myself when I slowly let the walls slip and got into Lissa's mind…

"_Is Dimitri already back?" Lissa asked, getting more anxious by the second._

_As if on cue, the Russian god himself walked in. they were in Lissa's room._

_Lissa starting shooting questions at him before he even had closed the door._

"_How is she? Are they treating her better? Will she talk to anyone? Can I go and visit her?"_

_To my surprise and I must admit… utter __**shock, **__Dimitri crashed down on the first chair he saw. He buried his face in his hands._

"_I don't know how she is! She _acted_ like she was fine, but that could've been just that for all I know, an act! Thanks to Ivashkov they gave her those clothes and some food. I wanted to speak to her, _really _speak to her, but she refused to speak to me more than just a few words." He seemed to hesitate a bit at the last part and I got why. We could've talked but he wouldn't! I noticed Lissa had caught up on it too but Dimitri went on before she could ask anything._

"_She is being guarded by six guardians now instead of 12 but they won't let her get out of sight too much. She spoke to Ivashkov but still won't let anyone freely visit her." He looked devastated at the floor and that tugged a bit at my heart. But then again, he lied about me not speaking to him which only angered me more._

_Suddenly Lissa stepped forward and Dimitri looked up as she did._

"_Dimitri," Lissa said in a stern voice that I only knew too well. I also was fairly familiar with the tingling feeling that rushed through her…me…us. "Tell me _exactly _what happened down there! No lies!" she stared in his eyes and I saw the compulsion taking over._

"_She only spoke a few words to me. About how she used to be the one getting into trouble all the time. I wanted to tell her everything. How I lied and why… but I couldn't. I was afraid of her answer, for her reaction." Even though he was staring hypnotic in Lissa's eyes, the pain was obvious in his voice at the last part._

"_I'm sure Ivashkov already told you what he had to do to come in. She is really big on not letting anyone see her."_

_Christian put a hand on Lissa's shoulder and when she broke of the compulsion Dimitri shivered and fell back in his chair while he stared with big eyes at Lissa who broke down into Christian's arms._

_He didn't seem to believe that Lissa just used compulsion on him and in thoughts I smirked._

_Lissa could be quite determined when she _really _wanted something. That's my Liss for ya! _

_I smiled devilishly in my mind. Suddenly, I noticed the hint of darkness in Lissa and concentrated on taking it away from her, she could not use that right now,_

_Slowly, I felt it leak into me and I realized that, honestly, I couldn't use it either…_

_Lissa's devastation only added to mine which made me just more depressed, but I gladly took it if it would help Lissa. _

_With a shock I realized that this was another reason why I had to make sure I would stay alive. Cause if I didn't, no one would be able to protect Lissa from the darkness._

_Adrian, who I hadn't really noticed till then jumped up and stared intensely at the space around Lissa. Then his eyes lit up and he spoke with a shaking voice._

"_Guys, I think Rose is listening! I just saw the black spots disappear from Lissa's aura!"_

_Almost immediately everybody froze and stared at Lissa like she had some kind of weird disease._

_Lissa didn't notice that though, she was too busy with shooting questions at me in her head._

'_Rose, are you really there? Please, please Rose' she begged. 'I need to speak to you! I know Abe is planning something and I want to help!' " And…and… and you promised!" it was only then we both realized she had said that last part aloud._

_And I realized in a way she was right…_

_A while ago I had promised Lissa with my heart that I would let her come along on all my next crazy adventures. Stupid me._

_I sighed and pulled out before the rest of them could start on calling in favors._

Then I realized that someone had been calling my name.

I turned to see Abe standing at my cell door again and he waved me closer.

I cradled to my feet and walked suspiciously over at him.

"Belikov finally gone?" he asked while looking around like he was expecting Dimitri anytime to just jump up out of nowhere.

I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, they released him yesterday. What's up? Anything new?" I once more pressed for him to get me out.

"The plans are made. Tomorrow by midnight. Your trial would be on two days but as I promised, you won't have to go there." Abe winked and I just rolled my eyes again.

Abe was about to leave when I called him back.

He turned and leaned closer to me.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? Why couldn't Dimitri know?" I was curious.

Abe grinned his familiar mobster grin.

"Because that lovesick idiot only would have endangered my plans!" and like that he left with me staring after him with an open mouth.

I went to sit down on my bed again.

Why did everyone keep saying that Dimitri loved me, when he didn't!

His words had been fairly clear, painfully so!

_Love fades. Mine has. _I cringed again at the memory.

I took a deep breath to steady myself.

I just didn't want to hear it anymore. I was sick of it! I should tell them to shut up about it.

Once I was out of here at least…

_A/N: __**PLEASE READ! **__Okay, I really want some more reviews before I update again because why should I write if no one reads it, anyway? Please tell me what you think. Personally, I think it's crap. The scene with Lissa and all sort of came out really bad, but I'm sure you already read that. Ow, and I wanted to thank __Bleedingink17 for your comment! Thanks sweetheart! Love, RET_


	5. Chapter 5

**Last sacrifice **** Chapter 5 **

Abe's words, together with Dimitri's haunted my mind while I could do nothing else than just wait.

And wait.

And wait.

I got sick of it pretty soon, to be honest with you, and started the push-ups again.

I liked those sort of secret, silent trainings of mine. They gave me peace and space to really think about everything.

I hadn't been training my punches and kicks, though I probably needed that the most. I thought that would draw a bit too much attention…

I thought about all kinds of stuff. And sometimes, I'd really, completely dream off, and I'd imagine how my life _should've _been. How my life _would've_ been without that freaking Strigoi named Nathan, who had ripped the love of my life away and destroyed his soul, all together with my, our future.

I'd never let my mind linger too much on that though, because thinking of it only made my heart ache more for Dimitri. Not really something I wanted to happen.

But still, it was an intriguing idea…

The day went by with not much happening beside for the guardians who brought me my food and Lissa who kept calling me in her head, to please, _please_, let her in.

I tried to ignore her as best as I could but her pleadings got louder and louder and secretly, I wanted nothing more than just give her a hug, see her face to make sure she was completely alright, even if that meant it had to be trough the bars.

I was on the verge of letting her in, but anytime I'd get up and started to call out to the guards to get Lissa and let her in, I'd think 'better' of it.

That's what I told myself, at least…

That night, when I tried my best to strengthen up for the next day by sleeping, I kept waking up from nightmares.

I forgot what they were about as soon as I opened my eyes, but their fear remained and kept haunting me.

I also remembered a few of the faces I had seen, which worried me only more.

Because most of the faces were dead people or Strigoi. Some familiar, some unknown.

I even saw Mason.

One of the nightmares was especially about him and though I didn't remember what happened, I woke up crying and calling out for him.

I saw some of the guards look at me sympathetically, because they knew I wasn't guilty, but couldn't do anything about it.

Still, I was glad that there were a few people who believed me. It felt good to know that a few of them knew the truth.

When Abe came to visit me that day, I could about imagine what he saw.

No more strong, tough, badass guardian Rose Hathaway. I was broken. And I didn't even know why.

Maybe it was because my life just didn't seem able to have a happy end.

That could be it. My life always seemed to get a turn to the good and then it would get worse than I ever imagined.

I could imagine what he saw when he came in because I knew that I was bleary eyed and that there were deep circles under my eyes.

"Rosemarie?" he asked as he rushed over to my cell.

I refused to get up from my sitting position on the bed.

"Rosemarie, what happened? Did they hurt you?" Abe shot a murderous glare at the guards who remained stoic.

"No, Zmey. They didn't." I knew that the smile I plastered across my face was so fake, I doubted you could even call it a smile.

"Ow, and I think that you should know that whoever calls me Rosemarie, won't be able to do it again after I'm finished with them." My threat wasn't a threat at all. I just… said it.

Completely opposite to what it had been at the academy. Even teachers barely called me Rosemarie back then.

Abe stayed some more to explain some details of tonight to me without wanting the guardians to hear.

My thoughts drifted of soon though, trying to remember more of my nightmares. Abe didn't really like me not paying attention.

After he called me for the about 20th time and that it was _my _escape we were discussing here, I told him I just couldn't concentrate and that I'd just go with it tonight.

He seemed to like me not knowing anything about it and said his goodbye.

When he left I saw him freeze at the door in shock and stare at someone who was talking to the guard there.

The guard had weird, almost hypnotic expression over him and suddenly I was aware of the familiar buzz in the bond.

I cursed.

Lissa was using compulsion to get in!

I could see Abe halfway through the door and how he was talking in on her.

Through the bond I tried to calm her down too, though I knew that wouldn't help out either.

Fucking one way bond!

Gosh, I really had everything against me nowadays! Even this!

I heard Lissa yell at Abe, and even without the bond I heard the pain in it.

With a shock I remembered that she didn't know about tonight, and she thought I would most likely be sentenced to death tomorrow for something I didn't do.

I also knew that this was my last chance to talk to her for… I didn't even know how long…

"Wait!" I called out before even realizing it myself.

"Liss, stop it! You can come! I'll let you in!"

The guards at my door stared at me in disbelief and I sort of could imagine why.

All the time I had been locked up here, I had pleaded them, not to let her in. no matter what the circumstances were.

Once, I told them why. I told them I didn't want her to see me like this, locked up and devastated. And now, when I was so much worse, I begged her to come.

Did I mention 'Irony Of Life' to you already?

I did? Well, then again, here you have it!

I saw Abe turn to me at the top of the stairs and stare down at me, his eyes seemed to ask if I was sure about this.

The truth was… I wasn't sure, so instead of trusting my voice, I just nodded once.

Abe then in his turn nodded to Lissa and stepped aside so she could pass.

I saw her almost fly down the stairs and over to me.

As soon as she reached my cell, she pressed herself up against the bars and tried to give me a hug through them.

Strangely, she sort of succeeded and I held her as close as I possibly could.

If I thougt I had a breakdown earlier, then I'd better consider it twice in comparison to Liss.

She fell down on her knees and sobbed uncontrollably in my arms. Well, as far as you could cal it 'in my arms' with the bars between us.

I tried to calm her down but noticed that I was crying too. Ow, great.

"Hey, Liss! Stop it!" I said, trying to smile through the tears "I promised myself I wasn't going to have a pitty-party!"

I thought it would cheer her up, and in some way it did, but she also looked at me at those words and I felt through the bond how terrible she thought I looked.

"Well, I wasn't completely joking about the spa thing…" I said with a weak smile. "Sorry about the snapping then, though."

_No problem. You had every right to… _she told me and I saw in her head that she visited him and made Dimitri confess what he told me in the church.

I flinched at his words again,not able to help myself.

They were worse then a real knife stabbing around in my heart, I realised now. Because with a knife, you could only damage a heart once, but his words kept hurting me. Piercing my heart without leaving visble marks, but leaving so much worse.

I couldn't help but notice the bitter edge her memories had. Well, Maybe bitter was a bit too kind word for it. And I watched intimidated as I saw the conversation as an instant replay…

_Images of me longing for Dimitri haunted Lissa's mind. She remembered how I looked when I said goodbye to her at the gate of the academy, setting off on a mission I wasn't even sure if I would survive, just to free Dimitri. How I looked when I returned, convinced I had done my job and killed him, but also knowing that there might had been another solution. That I could have saved him…_

_And then when I got the letter. My face that went from wondering to terrified. Yeah, I remembered that. That had been one hell of a surprise…_

_Lissa reached a door, the one to Dimitri's room apparently. (_Rose! _ Stop feeling jealous that she knew where it is and you don't!) She knocked, well banged with her fist on it until Dimitri came rushing to open it. I was overwhelmed by the sudden rush of anger directed at Dimitri that I felt through Lissa._

"_Princess?" Dimitri sounded sleepy and I suddenly realized it was in the middle of the night._

"_Let me in, Dimitri. We need to talk." And she came in, not bothering to wait for him to answer._

"_What is it, princess?" he looked not as surprised as he should've. _

_Lissa turned, suddenly fuming._

"_You know damn well what I'm talking about! What happened to rose?" tears of anger streamed down her face._

_Dimitri turned his head away. "I think we both know that she got locked up for something she didn't do." _

_Lissa walked up to him and pushed him in the chest. Dimitri barely staggered._

"_You know that's not what I meant! She chased after you for so long, Dimitri! First to free you from being Strigoi and then for your love. But you know what? one day, she became tired of chasing you! That's not something rose does easily! She loved you! But I can tell you, now she stopped chasing, you wish she never would! She will get over you, and you'll curse yourself for letting her! You _had _ her, Dimitri! And when she has moved on, you wish that you would have let her catch you!" she fell to the ground, sobbing in her hands because of _my _heartache._

_That's how she sat there, sobbing, with no words from Dimitri to contradict hers. My heart ached for Liss. She was so scared to lose me, because she knew she couldn't survive without me. Not just because of the darkness that spirit brought with it, but because, even with the bond aside, we were bound so tightly. Neither of us could stand the thought of having to live without the other._

_And then, the silence got broken. By Dimitri._

"_She _has _moved on. She seems happy enough when she's around Ivashkov, doesn't she?" his voice was flat, not a hint of emotion in it to betray how he felt._

_But I could guess._

_He just didn't care. He couldn't even bring up the nerve to pretend being happy for me that I found someone else._

_Lissa's head shot up in surprise too at the lack of feelings in his voice, but for a complete different reason._

_She thought he still loved me._

_I sighed. She, the aura seeing of all people, should know better than that…_

_Then, ironically enough she spoke the next, o so true words:_

"_Do you really think she forgot what you two had? I saw her aura around you! A love like that just doesn't fade! It can't!"_

"_BUT IT HAS!" Dimitri yelled in a sudden outburst, but then continued in a whisper._

"_Don't you see that? It's over, Lissa. Accept that." He took a deep breath and looked away from her. For just a second I thought I saw a flash of _my _Dimitri. The one who loved me and kicked Jesse's ass when he caught me with him. The one who was jealous of any guy who could be with me without a problem._

"_Rose did…"_

I couldn't take it anymore and pulled out of Liss's head but she still tried to convince me that Dimitri still was in love with me.

I took a deep breath to compose myself and looked her straight in the eye.

"Liss, stop it. He doesn't love me anymore!" she tried to cut me off but I put a hand up to stop her

"No, he made it clear. He moved on, so that's what I did too. I gave up on him, as he did on me." I stared past Lissa, remembering every second painfully clear and I felt like I was there again, facing Dimitri, as he told me that there was no '_us_'anymore.

_"Rose. Please stop. Please stay away." He was working hard to stay calm._

_I shot up, now as angry and frustrated as him. I had a feeling if I stayed, we'd both snap. In an undertone, I murmured, "This isn't over. I won't give up on you."_

_"I've given up on you," he said back, voice also soft._

_"Love fades. Mine has."_

I shuddered again at the coolness in his voice.

He told me something different once, and somehow it seemed easier to believe that he lied back then too, than to believe that what we had was lost. Kind of pathetic, I know…

Lissa sighed once. _I'm getting you out of here, no matter what they say tomorrow! I promise Rose!_

My eyes flew open and I pulled back from our hug.

"Like hell you will!" I whispered fiercely.

_But…_ she started and I cut her off again.

"Liss! No! you're staying out of this!"

No matter how much I tried to convince her that I'd be fine, that it would work out, she just didn't listen. I soon realized that I had to tell her, Well, a bit about the plan.

"Liss." I called softly, but she kept on rambling about that she owed me, she had to free me.

"Liss!" I called again, but no response. I rolled my eyes, took a deep breath and then shouted:

"LISSA!" the guards flinched and moved a bit closer but backed off as soon as they saw it was just to get her attention. These guys knew me and I recognized one of them as one of the guardians that had been with Dimitri that day in the cafeteria.

Lissa stared at me with open mouth.

"What?" she hissed, a bit pissed off.

I looked meaningful in her eyes. "I'll be alright. I won't have to go on trial. _Trust _me…" I let my voice trail of.

"What are you talking about? Your trial is…" she cut herself of when she saw my pointed look at someone behind her. I knew what she saw when she turned her head slightly.

Abe was standing at the stairs and had about the same look on his face as the guards. Like he seemed to see everything, and nothing at the same time.

When Liss turned back again I said it again.

"I won't have to go on trial, Liss."

Her eyes grew big as realization hit her. She nodded, more to herself then to me.

_Is there anything I can do?_ I started to say that she couldn't, but then thought of something.

"Yes, there is one thing you can do…" Liss's eyes lit up with anticipation, but it disappeared as quick as it came at my next words.

"Stay as far away from this as you can!"

_**A/N: PLEASE READ! **__Pfew, that was on hell of a chapter to write, but I wanted to post it before I went on holidays with the family. I hope you like it. I think this one turned out better than the last. Tell me if you think so too, and what your favorite chapter I thus far. This one is the longest too. 8 pages on word! LOL, RET!_


	6. Hello Again! Please, Read This!

Just for fun!

_**For Team Dimitri**_

_You're staring at your computer screen, almost hypnotic, intrigued by what you're reading. You're wondering what it is about. Suddenly, a knock on your door makes you jump._

_When you look up, you gasp in surprise._

"_You're late for practice, again, don't you want to get started?" Dimitri smiles one of those rare almost-smiles of his. He walks over to you and takes your hand. With shaking knees you let him help you up._

_Then, as a complete surprise, Dimitri pulls you suddenly close to him, and putts one arm around you to hold you there._

_With his other hand he cups your face. Automatically, you bring up your arms and wrap them around his neck so you have to stand on your tiptoes so you can reach it. Dimitri smiles almost a real smile. Slowly, ever so slowly he leans down. You can smell his intoxicating aftershave and you're getting a little lightheaded. Well, a little… Dimitri's beautiful, chocolate brown eyes bore into yours as his face leans closer and closer…_

_You title your head a bit to the right, and Dimitri his to the left. You feel his breath on your face, on your lips. Just as he is about to press his lips to yours his mouth moves, slightly brushing your cheek with his lips, to your ear. In a husky voice, covered with longing he whispers: "Please…" your breath catches_

"_Review."_

_**For Team Adrian**_

_Your staring at your computer screen blankly, not really paying attention to what you're reading. It's not what you hoped for anyway._

_You look up surprised when you hear someone knocking at the window. When you look better you freeze in surprise but immediately jump up when you recognize him. _

_You run over to the window and slam it open._

"_Visiting you. What else am I supposed to do, my lil' girl?" Adrian smiles and you're lost._

_When he climbs in he brings the smell of cloves and vodka with him._

"_Have you been—" you start getting mad at him, but in that second Adrian pulls you into his arms and putts one hand beneath your chin to bring your face up to his._

"_Don't get me wrong, I love seeing you mad, but I've got something else in thought now…"_

_He leans down with a mischievous grin on his face and is about to press his lips to yours in a passionate kiss when he sees your computer. He sees that the 'review' button is clicked and there is written only one word._

_He smiles and shakes is head._

"_I see you're busy. We'll continue when you're done with that." He points his head to the computer, takes a cigarette out of his pocket, lights it and climbs out your window._

_You finally shake the shock of off you and run over to the window, just in time to see Adrian disappear in the dark with a last kiss, blown from his hand._

Hey guys! I'm back! Holidays was fun with the family but I'm glad to be back! I wrote that up there just for fun, and to convince you to review…Okay, honestly, I can almost _hear_ you sighing because it's not a new chapter, but I really didn't have much time to write and the little that I wrote and a day later re-read was, to keep it all nice, utter **crap**! I can't help it… tomorrow I wil have nothing to do all day and I promise I'll update as soon as possible, really! And, as I said, I don't have all the reviews I want yet so…. Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with sugar on top? Pretty please with sugar and whip cream on top? Pretty please with sugar, whip cream _and _a cherry on top? Maybe some chocolate? Okay, I'll stop it now, because I think you got the point. Ow and I do have good news, or maybe not, depends on how you see it… I finally have my storyline complete! I know what I want to happen, I only need to work out some details… ow, and just to make you guys crazy… I swear, you are gonna _**HATE **_me at the end *laughs eveily….*


	7. NEW Chapter 12

**Last sacrifice § Chapter 1**

I was going crazy in here! I got up and started walking up and down my cell again while rubbing my face in my hands.

It had been 5 days since I got convicted and all the time I had been locked up in this damned place. Lissa had only once visited, three days ago. She had tried hard to convince them to let her in and eventually she got an idea to _get_ her in. She _said_ she used her 'winning personality'.

Yeah. Right.

My head spun from the lack of food, so I carefully sat down, the cell twisting in every direction it shouldn't.

My stomach rumbled in protest again. I hadn't eaten anything since Lissa last came, cause that was the last time they let Mikhail be on duty. He was the one who tried to get food to me as often as possible, but when they noticed, he almost got locked up himself and he wasn't allowed to guard me anymore.

Suddenly I heard muffled voices at the top of the stairs that lead down to my cell block and jumped up. A dozen of guardians came down and I froze as I saw who was being dragged down between them and thrown in the cell opposite of me.

Dimitri.

I stumbled back to the wall till I hit it with my back and I slid down to the ground.

No way! What… how… why was he here? This just couldn't be true! Life couldn't be that cruel! Right?

What was he doing here? I stared at him while all those question's raced through my mind.

In his cell Dimitri collapsed into a weak huddle of clothes. He looked like he had been attacked by a pack of wolves, or, and that's probably a bit more logic, guardians.

His lip was bleeding and he had a cut above his left eye. I had never seen him this…messed up! Not even during our field experience when he fought on a daily bases. He even had a black eye!

And though I was confused by his presence and appearance, I still felt, deep down, my heart ache at the sight of my Dimitri. Well, he no longer was _my _Dimitri, but he looked so much like him.

I wanted to get back at whoever did this for hurting him, my feelings that I tried so hard to bury in the deepest hole in my mind getting out again. I wanted to…

I called myself to a halt. _Don't do it Rose, don't do it! You can't attack them now anyway and besides, why would you? Dimitri doesn't love you anymore, remember? _

That stung. A lot.

More than it should have, considering I swore to myself I was over and done with him.

Can I lie or what? Even to myself…

As soon as the guardians moved away, leaving only two more behind to guard us, Dimitri cradled to his feet. He crawled over to the bars of his cell and his eyes lit up when they found mine.

He stared at me in awe, like he just had seen the thing that made him forget everything else in the world. I turned my head away from him, not able to look in his eyes without remembering how he used to look at me. Before…you know, _that_time…

"Roza…" he croaked. He was sounding even worse then he looked, but that wasn't what brought tears to my eyes.

It was that name. That fucking nickname he gave me.

Memories washed over me. How he used to laugh during our practices and then sigh when I had been my impulsive self again. "Oh, Roza…" he'd sigh and that was all it needed to make my whole freaking day…

But then you had something that is called 'The Irony of life'.

No matter how much I used to love it, ho complete and beloved it used to make feel, now, the only feeling I got from it was one of pain, and loss.

_Love fades, mine has._ I flinched again.

And now he was looking at me with such relieve in his (still beautiful) eyes that it seemed like he hadn't told me to move on, give up on him because he gave up on me. That he never told me he didn't love me anymore.

More talking at the top of the stairs and I only then realized that Lissa was coming down. My own emotions had been so out of control that I hadn't realized she was this near, probably trying to get to me again.

"Princess, she asked us to let no one visit her except her lawyer. And he can only come if it's really needed."

Lissa sighed defeated. Then her eyes lit up as a plan formed in her head. I groaned.

Damn me for making Lissa look too much like me! I almost started banging my head against the wall but decided that wouldn't do anything good anyway. I would just ignore them completely. Yes, that would help!

Alright, maybe I'm not as good at lying as I thought…

"Well, then I want to see Dimitri, he hasn't ordered me away has he?" she asked, a sly smile spreading on her face. She was enjoying being smarter than me for once. Let's hope it stays with this one time, I told myself.

The guardian sighed and let Lissa pass.

As soon as she came into sight I felt something flood into me, my mood swinging from desperate and heartbroken, to angry and insulted. Well, saying that I was _pissed_ would be an understatement.

I refused to look at her and turned my back to the bars.

Lissa called me in her head.

_Rose? Rose, come on! Please let me talk to you! I just want to make sure you're alright! That they're treating you well…_

A harsh laugh escaped my lips.

The guards had taken some distance from Dimitri and Lissa to give them privacy so they couldn't hear the next words that escaped my lips, even though I had sworn I wouldn't talk to them.

"What? Do you really think they'd threat the murderer of their queen like in a freaking spa?" I hissed sarcastically.

So, I was in a bitchy mood, sue me!

Lissa flinched at my words and I felt how much I hurt her through the bond. Immediately I felt so sorry, I wanted to get up and give her a hug through the bars, but as soon as those feelings registered with me, they got pushed away by the hatred that had come out of nowhere and I had to restrain myself of punching something, it being a wall, a person, or myself.

Dimitri had heard me too and through the bond I heard how he asked Lissa if I could hear her.

What a stupid question! Even for a rotten bastard for who I had risked everything to save him and then got dumped by.

Lissa nodded as an answer and then she got an idea.

I was too shocked to react as she practically _pulled me into her head_ and so it felt like Dimitris next words almost seemed to be really spoken to me.

Which made it all that much worse…

"Rose? Rose, I beg you… listen to me." His voice sounded so pained…

"We want to help you! We're going to get you out of here, but you have to let us come to you… I…I want to tell you Rose… what you mean to me. I need to speak to you, Rose. Please… please, Roza."

I stiffened.

He didn't just say that!

That swirling feeling that mastered me always when he said my name like that was paired with something else now…

Hate.

Hate for the love I felt for him though he rejected me so many times.

Hate for the fact that now! NOW! He wanted to speak me!

When I tried so many times and he wouldn't even look at me.

That's exactly what I told him.

I sprang up and pressed myself up against the bars.

"OW SHUT UP! Stop it with that fucking Roza! NOW you want to talk?" I hissed fiercely but when Dimitri and Lissa flinched this time, I didn't care.

"You know, not that long ago, I'd kill to hear those words! But not anymore! You made it more than clear Dimitri! What we had, if we ever had something, is gone! For good!"

Who the hell did he think he was?

I was Rosemarie Hathaway, for fucks sake!

Did he expect me to come back to him immediately when he called or what? like I was a freaking puppy? Then he didn't know half as much of me as I thought he did!

"Roza I…" he started but I wouldn't let him finish.

Instead of the blazing hatred my voice had sounded like earlier it now turned cold.

As cold as my heart when I thought about Dimitri.

"My name… is Rosemarie Hathaway, Mr. Belikov. Rose is for friends, and for people like you… it's Miss Hathaway."

**Last sacrifice § chapter 2**

After that, Lissa finally left. Her shoulders slumped and I knew I had hurt her.

Suddenly I knew what my bad mood must have caused. Lissa used compulsion to get past the first few groups of guardians and she must've asked a lot of herself, and I bet she had been training again, because that darkness didn't come out of nowhere. When she walked in I had automatically taken it from her.

Well, maybe this would finally keep her away.

She was the heir for the throne, though she didn't know it yet, and the council wouldn't ease down with letting her take it when she was hanging out with the suspect of the murder of the last queen.

I sat down; too dizzy to stand any longer and aware of the worried stare that came from Dimitri.

His eyes never left me which started to get on my nerves but every time I'd try to turn my head to him so I could give him one of my infamous death glares my head started spinning so badly I barely could make it stop.

Even if I didn't move, my head started spinning now and my sight faded and I saw black spots.

Okay, I'm not one who complains easily, but this was getting really bad.

I don't think I had ever felt this crappy. No hangover after a night partying was anything compared to this (and I'd had pretty bad hangovers!). All I wanted was to lie down and never having to wake up again. Lately, I had been begging for sleep in my head more often because when I was asleep, it was the only time I couldn't worry about what was about to happen.

I thought about the letter that Queen Bit… Queen Tatiana (see, I'm learning!) had given me, about Lissa's half sibling, about how I was going to get out of here without Lissa getting involved, about Abe 's words which still ringed through my head, about Adrian and of course, as the inevitable… I thought about Dimitri.

Always Dimitri. Always the bastard which I hated and loved at the same time. Yes, hated.

_Love fades, mine has._

The words pierced and stabbed around in my heart again.

My headache got even worse than it already was and again, the room moved in ways that shouldn't be possible.

I closed my eyes, trying to make sense of everything, but it just wouldn't work.

I curled myself up in a ball on the bed, almost exactly like Dimitri had, and tried to stop the spinning and just get my head silent enough to sleep. But I couldn't.

I think I probably sat there for hours but then, eventually, I slid into happy unconsciousness. Thanking whoever gave me that peace of mind…

I woke up from someone leaning over me and calling my name frantically.

I didn't want to wake up, my dream had been too beautiful.

It was me and Dimitri in the cabin, he still loved me and all those months of me being out to kill him never happened.

He was guarding someone else at court, I was guarding Lissa and we were in love.

So, so in love…

"Rose! Rose, wake up! Little Dhampir, please!"

That voice. I knew it.

I loved it… it seemed to care about me so much.

I struggled hard, and finally managed to open my eyes.

It was Adrian. Of course, I should've recognized the nickname…

He leaned over me, a few guardians in the background, and there was a tray of food beside him, with what looked like extremely dry bread, with a glass of water.

When he noticed I had my eyes opened he pulled me into a hug which I gladly returned.

Though it was hard to admit when my heart still longed for Dimitri, I missed Adrian like crazy, and sighed happily into his shoulder, trying to ignore the stare I felt burning from the cell opposite to mine.

"You scared living hell out of me, Little Dhampir. Don't do that again, I won't be able to take it without you, you know…" Adrian whispered in my hair.

I pulled him even tighter to me, just to have him close to me.

Yes, I didn't feel the heartbreaking longing for him as I felt for Dimitri, but I loved him nonetheless.

He had never hurt me like Dimitri did. And I never really had given him a chance though he had been always so…understanding.

Not at all like _some_men here.

"Sorry, I promise I won't." I whispered, well _croaked_ back.

Adrian pulled back slightly to look me in the eyes, and then down my body. Not in a creepy, lustful way, he seemed to examine me. And by the look on his face, he didn't like what he saw.

"Sweet, Little, Dhampir…" he sighed "What have they done to you?"

I tried to pull off a smile, according to Adrian's face I failed miserably, and said:

"Better ask what they _haven't_done. You know I'm not good at going without food. I'm a big eater."

"Yeah, I know." Was the only response I got and he helped me sit up against the wall.

He barked a few orders to the guards who had come along into my cell.

"YOU! Get her some _real_food. And something to drink. You! Go to Princess Dragomir and ask for some clothes for Rose. But also tell her she can't come down here."

The guardians rejected.

"Mr. Ivashkov, we cannot leave you alone with the suspect. She'll…"

A harsh laugh from Adrian cut them off.

"Ow, for god's sake! Does she really look to you like she is even capable of _standing_? She is starving and dehydrated! Now GO and do what I told you. There are at least 12 other guardians here, so don't worry." He said harshly.

Everything started spinning again and I tried to blink my sight straight.

Adrian noticed immediately and he put a hand on my forehead.

"Dammit, little Dhampir. You're hot."

In a weak attempt to joke it off, I said: "I know. Thanks for embracing it."

The corner of his mouth twitched in to a faint sad smile.

He carefully helped me up and carried me over to my 'bed'.

When he sat me down again, I immediately leaned back against the wall. Ugh, stop spinning!

Finally, the guardians returned and I saw they had a tray of food with them. _Real _food.

Thank god! Meat!

Adrian supported me as I dug in and I was aware that Dimitri was still looking at us intensely.

What he fuck was wrong with that guy?

First, he loves me. Then, he tries to kill me. (Don't think that I blame him for that, he wasn't him back then. I just mentioned it because it would add some drama, and I really needed that right now!) After that, he basically tells me to fuck off and now, he stares at Adrian's arm that was draped around me like he wanted to rip it off!

That guy had some serious issues!

Once I finished my meal, I leaned into Adrian.

"How did you get in? I thought I asked them to keep you away…" I said sleepily.

"Well… I kind of said that I…" he hesitated like he didn't want to continue.

"Get it out, Ivashkov." I said, trying to get my old bravado back in my voice. Keyword-trying.

"Forgive me, Little Dhampir. I had no other choice then tell them I wanted to see the murderer of my aunt. I knew there would be no other way to get in…" his voice trailed off and I heard the shame in it.

"Adrian… I don't mind. I get it. But how did you find out I was unconscious?"

"Well, that was thanks to Belikov." Adrian said, sounding bitter at saying Dimitri's name.

"He needed to see you, he told us. But considering they wouldn't just let him in, he kept getting himself into trouble. Starting fights and stuff, until they finally arrested him. He apparently had been calling out to the guards for quite a while that that something was wrong with you, but they wouldn't believe him. When I came in I saw quickly enough something really _was_ wrong and I convinced them that you needed help. NOW."

I stared up at him and tried to do the cool one eyebrow thing.

"_Convinced?_" I said skeptically.

Adrian just smiled.

"I was lucky a friend of yours, Mikhail, was on guard. When I got in you barely had a pulse so I told them to get something to drink and eat and get you a doctor. The doctor gave you a shot with something and left, saying he'd come check on you later and that he had to leave because a royal had gotten_a flue._" His voice turned bitter at the end again.

I turned his face towards me.

"Thank you, Adrian. You saved my life."

"At your service, Little Dhampir. Always. But… as much as I don't want to say it… you should thank Belikov too." He said.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before I opened them again to stare at Dimitri through the bars.

I nodded once as thanks.

It was the way many guardians thanked each other for something and Dimitri seemed slightly hurt over me being so stiff about it, but he returned the nod anyway, and I saw a glint in his eyes of emotions I couldn't figure out because before I could read them he had already pulled up his 'guardian mask'.

I sighed again.

We needed to talk, and then I couldn't get my love for him get in the way.

I was with Adrian now, or at least, I thought so, but I needed to figure things out between me and Dimitri first.

The one thing I wondered was…_how_ I was going to talk to him before… before anything happened…


	8. Chapter 6! Not good, READ APOLOGIES!

**Last Sacrifice § chapter 3**

The food and finally a good night of sleep had strengthened me and for the first time in a while I could think clearly.

They were right, I needed to get out of here, and the sooner the better.

I couldn't waste time with just hanging around here, doing nothing, when Lissa is supposed to get her spot on the council and I had to find her ticket, or rather _sibling,_ in.

_You must share this information with as few as possible._ Tatiana's words echoed through my head.

I buried my face in my hands, desperate for an answer that I could not find.

Dimitri was still staring at me, I could sense it, and when I looked up through my lashes I saw that weird look in his eyes again. This time he couldn't hide it quick enough and I saw, to my surprise, the same look in his eyes that he used to give me, the one that made me feel so warm and loved, together with a hint of desperation and this…commitment. Like he was vowing something to himself and through his eyes to me.

I realized this wasn't the time to make enemies so even I really didn't like it; I had to talk to Dimitri.

I knew he was as committed to protecting Lissa as I was and that I could trust him, no matter how many times he had lied to me, I remembered perfectly fine the vow he made to Lissa when he was locked up here.

The guards were finally convinced that I wouldn't try to escape (_yet)_ and they tuned the security down to six guardians.

I stood up and strolled around my cell because my legs had fallen asleep, I still felt Dimitri's gaze follow me and to my surprise I didn't find it hugely irritating like earlier, but more…comforting.

When I reached the bars, for a second I stared into his deep, beautiful brown eyes and decided I might as well try to talk to him normally now.

I leaned with my back against the wall next to the bars and slid down to the ground.

"So…" I started, still a bit awkward, "I thought I was the one who constantly got into fights instead of you, comrade." I stared at the wall before me almost hypnotic and only broke my gaze away to shoot Dimitri a small smile and a look from the corner of my eyes.

I chuckled when I saw his dumbfounded expression which soon smoothed out in a relieved sarcastic smile that he used to give me during practices, back at the academy.

"Well, you also used to get away with everything, but that luck you don't seem to posses either anymore." He tried to lighten the mood between us but he kind of put his finger on the painful spot.

"So it seems…" my voice trailed off as I was lost in thought. He didn't seem that willingly to talk after all. In a sudden surge of darkness that washed over me decided he might as well choked on his own misery, like I should care!

Suddenly a deep bass voice interrupted the silence in the cell block.

I'd recognize that voice everywhere by now. Abe Mazur. My old man.

Who also didn't seem to have ever good news for me lately when he came around.

When he neared my cell he threw a weird glance at Dimitri before turning to me.

"I talked to Ivashkov. You alright?" Abe had a weird look in his eyes that I almost never saw.

He seemed very…protective? Was that the right word? I didn't know.

"Better, thanks. And… got any news, old man?"

Abe growled a bit at the 'Old Man'.

"Just be ready, no matter what happens." With that he turned and left, leaving me behind with only more questions.

I stared after him and muttered sarcastically to myself:

"Couldn't get it any vaguer of course!"

Not much later I suddenly saw a few guardians coming down with something I soon recognized as a bunch of dark clothes that were mine.

"The by lord Ivashkov requested clothes." Was all they said when the guardians handed me them and then left again while the guards that were watching me took some distance so I had some privacy to change.

Dimitri, at the other side of the hallway between our cells, looked away too.

That actually made me chuckle a bit.

"_You_don't have to worry about seeing me naked, comrade. There won't be many surprises left anyway." I muttered so soft that only Dimitri could hear.

I laughed a bit harder when I saw he was blushing slightly but I noticed it cooled the mood down between us only even more.

I sighed out loud. If he really didn't want to talk, then we wouldn't…

I thought I probably should return to 'let's just ignore what happened between us and go on pretend like you never saw him as the one and only love of your life' because it seemed to work for us best.

For now, at least. I somehow could sense it wouldn't last long because now I wasn't even really looking at him and it was hard to keep up appearances. To keep pretending nothing had happened.

I finished dressing and the guardians came back. I now wore simple black skinny jeans, a tight fitting long grey shirt with an electric guitar on it that I once bought at target and a pair of black converse shoes.

It were clothes in which I could easily run and climb (and fight), and I guessed that was Abe's idea.

He was still saying he was going to get me out of here and I could only hope he would.

I needed Lissa to get her spot on the council, wait, no, _all of us,_ Moroi and Dhampir alike, needed her to take that. And, when I was at it, I might as well just secure her throne, anything else? No? You sure? Great. (Note the sarcasm here!)

All of a sudden, two guardians came down and they walked over to Dimitri.

"If you're calmed down again, you're allowed to go." One of them said harshly.

Dimitri gave them both a cold look and only nodded his head once.

I stared longingly after him when he walked out of his cell and into the world with all the freedom that came with it.

I sighed to myself, dreaming about the freedom I probably would never have again.

I remembered Abe's words. _Just be ready, no matter what happens._Be ready? I thought about what I could do to get ready for a prison break when I remembered I hadn't trained for ages.

Well, considering I had nothing to do anyway, I dropped down on all fours and started doing push-ups.

One of the guardians gave me a weird look.

"What do you think you doing?" he asked incredulously.

I smiled mischievously.

"Just…spending my time useful. Gotta be ready, no matter what happens."

**Last sacrifice chapter 4**

When I tried to fall asleep that night, I just couldn't find my rest.

My mind was getting haunted by millions of questions.

Huh, that was a first! I thought to myself sarcastically.

I took a deep breath and turned around in my 'bed'.

I wondered how Lissa was, again. Through the bond I felt, of course, worry, like that was something new, and this…determination. Shit, she was planning something! And I didn't like it one bit!

_She, _of all people, should stay out of this!

I decided quickly, before I could change my mind...

I know it probably wasn't fair that I could see her, and she couldn't see me, but this was justified!

At least that's what I told myself when I slowly let the walls slip and got into Lissa's mind…

"_Is Dimitri already back?" Lissa asked, getting more anxious by the second._

_As if on cue, the Russian God himself walked in. they were in Lissa's room._

_Lissa starting shooting questions at him before he even had closed the door._

"_How is she? Are they treating her better? Will she talk to anyone? Can I go and visit her?"_

_To my surprise and I must admit… utter __**shock, **__Dimitri crashed down on the first chair he saw. He buried his face in his hands._

"_I don't know how she is! She _acted_ like she was fine, but that could've been just that for all I know, an act! Thanks to Ivashkov they gave her those clothes and some food. I wanted to speak to her, _really _speak to her, but she refused to speak to me more than just a few words." He seemed to hesitate a bit at the last part and I got why. We could've talked but _he_ wouldn't! I noticed Lissa had caught up on it too but Dimitri went on before she could ask anything._

"_She is being guarded by six guardians now instead of 12 but they won't let her get out of sight too much. She spoke to Ivashkov but still won't let anyone freely visit her." He looked devastated at the floor and that tugged a bit at my heart. But then again, he lied about me not speaking to him which only angered me more._

_Suddenly Lissa stepped forward and Dimitri looked up as she did._

"_Dimitri," Lissa said in a stern voice that I only knew too well. I also was fairly familiar with the tingling feeling that rushed through her…me…us. "Tell me _exactly _what happened down there! No lies!" she stared in his eyes and I saw the compulsion taking over._

"_She only spoke a few words to me. About how she used to be the one getting into trouble all the time. I wanted to tell her everything. How I lied and why… but I couldn't. I was afraid of her answer, for her reaction." Even though he was staring hypnotic in Lissa's eyes, the pain was obvious in his voice at the last part._

"_I'm sure Ivashkov already told you what he had to do to come in. She is really big on not letting anyone see her."_

_Christian put a hand on Lissa's shoulder and when she broke of the compulsion Dimitri shivered and fell back in his chair while he stared with big eyes at Lissa who broke down into Christian's arms._

_He didn't seem to believe that Lissa just used compulsion on him and in thoughts I smirked._

_Lissa could be quite determined when she _really _wanted something. That's my Liss for ya!_

_I smiled devilishly in my mind. Suddenly, I noticed the hint of darkness in Lissa and concentrated on taking it away from her, she could not use that right now,_

_Slowly, I felt it leak into me and I realized that, honestly, I couldn't use it either…_

_Lissa's devastation only added to mine which made me just more depressed, but I gladly took it if it would help Lissa._

_With a shock I realized that this was another reason why I had to make sure I would stay alive. Cause if I didn't, no one would be able to protect Lissa from the darkness._

_Adrian, who I hadn't really noticed till then jumped up and stared intensely at the space around Lissa. Then his eyes lit up and he spoke with a shaking voice._

"_Guys, I think Rose is listening! I just saw the black spots disappear from Lissa's aura!"_

_Almost immediately everybody froze and stared at Lissa like she had some kind of weird disease._

_Lissa didn't notice that though, she was too busy with shooting questions at me in her head._

'_Rose, are you really there? Please, please Rose' she begged. 'I need to speak to you! I know Abe is planning something and I want to help!' "And…and… and you promised!" it was only then we both realized she had said that last part aloud._

_And I realized in a way she was right…_

_A while ago I had promised Lissa with my heart that I would let her come along on all my next crazy adventures. Stupid me._

_I sighed and quickly pulled out before the rest of them could start on calling in favors._

Then I realized that someone had been calling my name.

I turned to see Abe standing at my cell door again and he waved me closer.

I cradled to my feet and walked suspiciously over at him.

"Belikov finally gone?" he asked while looking around like he was expecting Dimitri anytime to just jump up out of nowhere.

I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, they released him yesterday. What's up? Anything new?" I once more pressed for him to get me out.

"The plans are made. Tomorrow by midnight. Your trial would be on two days but as I promised, you won't have to go there." Abe winked and I just rolled my eyes again.

Abe was about to leave when I called him back.

He turned and leaned closer to me.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? Why couldn't Dimitri know?" I was curious.

Abe grinned his familiar mobster grin.

"Because that lovesick idiot only would have endangered my plans!" and like that he left with me staring after him with an open mouth.

I went to sit down on my bed again.

Why did everyone keep saying that Dimitri loved me, when he didn't!

His words had been fairly clear, painfully so!

_Love fades. Mine has. _I cringed again at the memory.

I took a deep breath to steady myself.

I just didn't want to hear it anymore. I was sick of it! I should tell them to shut up about it.

Once I was out of here at least…

**Last sacrifice § Chapter 5 **

Abe's words, together with Dimitri's haunted my mind while I could do nothing else than just wait.

And wait.

And wait.

I got sick of it pretty soon, to be honest with you, and started the push-ups again.

I liked those sorts of secret, silent trainings of mine. They gave me peace and space to really think about everything.

I hadn't been training my punches and kicks, though I probably needed that the most. I thought that would draw a bit too much attention…

I thought about all kinds of stuff. And sometimes, I'd really, completely dream off, and I'd imagine how my life _should've _been. How my life _would've_ been without that freaking Strigoi Nathan, who had ripped the love of my life away and destroyed his soul, all together with my, our future.

I'd never let my mind linger too much on that though, because thinking of it only made my heart ache more for Dimitri. Not really something I wanted to happen.

But still, it was an intriguing idea…

The day went by with not much happening besides for the guardians who brought me my food and Lissa who kept calling me in her head, to please, _please_, let her in.

I tried to ignore her as best as I could but her pleadings got louder and louder and secretly, I wanted nothing more than just give her a hug, see her face to make sure she was completely alright, even if that meant it had to be trough the bars.

I was on the verge of letting her in, but anytime I'd get up and started to call out to the guards to get Lissa and let her in, I'd think 'better' of it.

That's what I told myself, at least…

That night, when I tried my best to strengthen up for the next day by sleeping, I kept waking up from nightmares.

I forgot what they were about as soon as I opened my eyes, but their fear remained and kept haunting me.

I also remembered a few of the faces I had seen, which worried me only more.

Because most of the faces were dead people or Strigoi. Some familiar, some unknown.

I even saw Mason.

One of the nightmares was especially about him and though I didn't remember what happened, I woke up crying and calling out for him.

I saw some of the guards look at me sympathetically, because they knew I wasn't guilty, but couldn't do anything about it.

Still, I was glad that there were a few people who believed me. It felt good to know that a few of them knew the truth.

When Abe came to visit me that day, I could about imagine what he saw.

No more strong, tough, guardian Rose Hathaway. I was broken. And I didn't even know why. So much for my badass reputation, I guess…

Maybe it was because my life just didn't seem able to have a happy end.

That could be it. My life always seemed to get a turn to the good and then it would get worse than I ever imagined.

I could imagine what he saw when he came in because I knew that I was bleary eyed and that there were deep circles under my eyes.

"Rosemarie?" he asked as he rushed over to my cell.

I refused to get up from my sitting position on the bed.

"Rosemarie, what happened? Did they hurt you?" Abe shot a murderous glare at the guards who remained stoic.

"No, Zmey. They didn't." I knew that the smile I plastered across my face was so fake; I doubted you could even call it a smile.

"Ow, and I think that you should know that whoever calls me Rosemarie, won't be able to do it again after I'm finished with them." My threat wasn't a threat at all. I just… said it.

Completely opposite to what it had been at the academy. Even teachers barely called me Rosemarie back then.

Abe stayed some more to explain some details of tonight to me without wanting the guardians to hear.

My thoughts drifted of soon though, trying to remember more of my nightmares. Abe didn't really like me not paying attention.

After he called me softly for the about 20th time that it was _my _escape we were discussing here, I told him I just couldn't concentrate and that I'd just go with it tonight.

He seemed to like me not knowing anything about it and said his goodbye.

When he left I saw him freeze at the door in shock and stare at someone who was talking to the guard there.

The guard had weird, almost hypnotic expression over him and suddenly I was aware of the familiar buzz in the bond.

I cursed.

Lissa was using compulsion to get in!

I could see Abe halfway through the door and how he was talking in on her.

Through the bond I tried to calm her down too, though I knew that wouldn't help out either.

Fucking one way bond!

Gosh, I really had everything against me nowadays! Even this!

I heard Lissa yell at Abe, and even without the bond I heard the pain in it.

With a shock I remembered that she didn't know about tonight, and she thought I would most likely be sentenced to death tomorrow for something I didn't do.

I also knew that this was my last chance to talk to her for… I didn't even know how long…

"Wait!" I called out before even realizing it myself.

"Liss, stop it! You can come! They can let you in!"

The guards at my door stared at me in disbelief and I sort of could imagine why.

All the time I had been locked up here, I had pleaded them, not to let her in. no matter what the circumstances were.

Once, I told them why. I told them I didn't want her to see me like this, locked up and devastated. And now, when I was so much worse, I begged her to come.

Did I mention 'The Irony of Life' to you already?

I did? Well, then again, here you have it!

I saw Abe turn to me at the top of the stairs and stare down at me, his eyes seemed to ask if I was sure about this.

The truth was… I wasn't sure, so instead of trusting my voice, I just nodded once.

Abe then in his turn nodded to Lissa and stepped aside so she could pass.

I saw her almost fly down the stairs and over to me.

As soon as she reached my cell, she pressed herself up against the bars and tried to give me a hug through them.

Strangely, she sort of succeeded and I held her as close as I possibly could.

If I thougt I had a breakdown earlier, then I'd better consider it twice in comparison to Liss.

She fell down on her knees and sobbed uncontrollably in my arms. Well, as far as you could cal it 'in my arms' with the bars between us.

I tried to calm her down but noticed that I was crying too. Ow, great.

"Hey, Liss! Stop it!" I said, trying to smile through the tears "I promised myself I wasn't going to have a pitty-party! And I don't even have the hats!" I said, quoting Christian a bit.

I thought it would cheer her up, and in some way it did, but she also looked at me at those words and I felt through the bond how terrible she thought I looked.

"Well, I wasn't completely joking about the spa thing…" I said with a weak smile. "Sorry about the snapping then, though."

_No problem. You had every right to… _she told me and I saw in her head that she visited him and made Dimitri confess what he told me in the church.

I flinched at his words again,not able to help myself.

They were worse then a real knife stabbing around in my heart, I realised now. Because with a knife, you could only damage a heart once, but his words kept hurting me. Piercing my heart without leaving visble marks, but leaving so much worse.

I couldn't help but notice the bitter edge her memories had. Well, maybe bitter was a bit too kind word for it. And I watched intimidated as I saw the conversation as an instant replay…

_Images of me longing for Dimitri haunted Lissa's mind. She remembered how I looked when I said goodbye to her at the gate of the academy, setting off on a mission I wasn't even sure if I would survive, just to free Dimitri. How I looked when I returned, convinced I had done my job and killed him, but also knowing that there might had been another solution. That I could have saved him…_

_And then when I got the letter. My face that went from wondering to terrified. Yeah, I remembered that. That had been one hell of a surprise…_

_Lissa reached a door, the one to Dimitri's room apparently. (_Rose! _Stop feeling jealous that she knew where it is and you don't!) She knocked, well banged with her fist on it until Dimitri came rushing to open it. I was overwhelmed by the sudden rush of anger directed at Dimitri that I felt through Lissa._

"_Princess?" Dimitri sounded sleepy and I suddenly realized it was in the middle of the night._

"_Let me in, Dimitri. We need to talk." And she came in, not bothering to wait for him to answer._

"_What is it, princess?" he looked not as surprised as he should have. _

_Lissa turned, suddenly fuming._

"_You know damn well what I'm talking about! What happened to Rose?" tears of anger streamed down her face._

_Dimitri turned his head away. "I think we both know that she got locked up for something she didn't do." _

_Lissa walked up to him and pushed him in the chest. Dimitri barely staggered._

"_You know that's not what I meant! She chased after you for so long, Dimitri! First to free you from being Strigoi and then for your love. But you know what? One day, she became tired of running in circles around you! That's not something Rose does easily when she cares about someone! She loved you! But I can tell you, now she stopped running, you wish she never would! She will get over you, and you'll curse yourself for letting her! You _had_ her, Dimitri! And when she has moved on, you wish that you would have let her catch you!" she fell to the ground, sobbing in her hands because of _my _heartache._

_That's how she sat there, crying her hart out, with no words from Dimitri to contradict hers. My heart ached for Liss. She was so scared to lose me, because she knew she couldn't survive without me. Not just because of the darkness that spirit brought with it, but because, even with the bond aside, we were bound so tightly. Neither of us could stand the thought of having to live without the other._

_And then, the silence got broken. By Dimitri._

"_She _has _moved on. She seems happy enough when she's around Ivashkov, doesn't she?" his voice was flat, not a hint of emotion in it to betray how he felt._

_But I could guess._

_He just didn't care. He couldn't even bring up the nerve to pretend being happy for me that I found someone else._

_Lissa's head shot up in surprise too at the lack of feelings in his voice, but for a complete different reason._

_She thought he still loved me._

_I sighed. She, the aura seeing of all people, should know better than that…_

_Then, ironically enough, she spoke the next o so true words:_

"_Do you really think she forgot what you two had? I saw her aura around you! A love like that just doesn't fade! It can't!"_

"_BUT IT HAS!" Dimitri yelled in a sudden outburst, that startled Lissa, but not me. I was one of the few people, if not the only one, who knew how much Dimitri had to fight for control at times._

"_Don't you see that? It's over, Lissa. Accept that." He took a deep breath and looked away from her. For just a second I thought I saw a flash of the old_ _Dimitri. _My_ Dimitri._

"_Rose did…"_

I couldn't take it anymore and pulled out of Liss's head.

_Rose! You gotta believe me! He's still in love with you, I know! He jus…_

That's when I had enough of it. I took a deep breath to compose myself and looked her straight in the eye.

"Liss, stop it. He doesn't love me anymore!" she tried to cut me off but I put a hand up to stop her

"No, he made it clear. He moved on, so that's what I did too. I gave up on him, as he did on me." I stared past Lissa, remembering every second painfully clear and I felt like I was there again, facing Dimitri, as he told me that there was no '_us_'anymore.

_"Rose. Please stop. Please stay away." He was working hard to stay calm._

_I shot up, now as angry and frustrated as him. I had a feeling if I stayed, we'd both snap. In an undertone, I murmured, "This isn't over. I won't give up on you."_

_"I've given up on you," he said back, voice also soft._

_"Love fades. Mine has."_

I shuddered again at the coolness in his voice.

He told me something different once, and somehow it seemed easier to believe that he lied back then too, than to believe that what we had was lost. Pathetic, I know…

Lissa sighed once. _I'm getting you out of here, no matter what they say tomorrow! I promise Rose!_

My eyes flew open and I pulled back from our hug.

"Like hell you will!" I whispered fiercely.

_But…_ she started and I cut her off again.

"Liss! No! You're staying out of this!"

No matter how much I tried to convince her that I'd be fine, that it would work out, she just didn't listen. I soon realized that I had to tell her, well, a bit about the plan.

"Liss." I called softly, but she kept on rambling about that she owed me, she had to free me.

"Liss!" I called again, but no response. I rolled my eyes, took a deep breath and then shouted:

"LISSA!" the guards flinched and moved a bit closer but backed off as soon as they saw it was just to get her attention. These guys knew me and I recognized one of them as one of the guardians that had been with Dimitri that day in the cafeteria.

Lissa stared at me with open mouth.

"What?" she hissed, a bit pissed off.

I looked meaningful in her eyes. "I'll be alright. I won't have to go on trial. _Trust _me…" I let my voice trail of.

"What are you talking about? Your trial is…" she cut herself of when she saw my pointed look at someone behind her. I knew what she saw when she turned her head slightly.

Abe was standing at the stairs and had about the same look on his face as the guards. Like he seemed to see everything and nothing at the same time.

When Liss turned back I said it again.

"I won't have to go on trial, Liss."

Her eyes grew big as realization hit her. She nodded, more to herself then to me.

_Is there anything I can do?_ I started to say that she couldn't, but then thought of something.

"Yes, there is one thing you can do…" Liss's eyes lit up with anticipation, but it disappeared as quickly as it came at my next words.

"Stay as far away from this as you can!"

**Last sacrifice $ chapter 6**

When Lissa left I felt the time of my escape nearing. I went to sit on my bed once again and pulled my knees up to my chest. Slowly I worked on getting my guardian mask on. I could practically _feel_ it slip over my face, hiding all I felt and thought behind a thick brick wall that was almost impossible to break through.

Mentally I went through what I remembered Abe told me, and pretty soon found out that I was done within 5 minutes. Fuck, I think now I'd rather know every aspect of the plan.

It still bothered me that I didn't tell Lissa about the note but I soon realized it was the smartest thing to do because it had been hard enough convincing her now and if I told her I was going to look for her half sibling, she'd never let me go on my own.

Besides, I still needed to find out if she even really had another sibling!

I couldn't imagine what it would do to Lissa if she first had to deal with it that her father had cheated on her mother, only to find out later it wasn't even true!

Well, I could imagine it actually, but hated only the thought of it.

I straightened up when another patrol shift came.

The guardians who came down now however, I had never seen before…

A memory of Abe telling me something about the guardians in his plan flashed through my mind.

I pained my brains for the answer to what role they played in the plan, but I really had no clue.

One of the guardians, it were a lot, an unusual big group to guard someone, even the murderer of the queen, stepped forward and told the guardian they were next to guard me. I didn't believe him.

I apparently wasn't the only one who thought that because the guardian, who was in charge at that moment of guarding me, looked them down suspiciously.

" Who are you? I have never seen you here before. "

"I was, together with the rest of my colleagues," he gestured casually to the guardians behind him "Called here after the queens' death for extra protection of our innocent people."

Was it just me or was the guy putting an extra pressure on the word 'innocent'?

The guardian now in charge narrowed his eyes.

"That doesn't answer my question. Who. Are. You." He repeated, sounding deadly calm like only guardians could and taking a step forward.

I swallowed hardly. If this was Abe's plan it sure as hell wasn't going as planned! Or if it was, Abe wasn't as good at planning breakouts as I was…

The unknown guardian sighed and he looked at his group, and especially at one of them which I felt like knowing, before he turned back and his expression darkened.

I couldn't take my eyes away from the guy I thought to know and with a shock I saw it was Pavel, one of Abe's guardians.

That was enough to convince me that this was part of his plan and immediately I was on high alert.

The group of Abe's guardians started spreading out and blocking the only entrance.

I bet a three year old could've smelled this fight, from quite a few miles away.

Ugh, what was I doing! This wasn't really the time to start getting insane and talking to myself! Focus, Rose, FOCUS!

I mentally slapped myself and got up to stand near the bars of my cell. As I saw the group of Abe's guardians look at each other with a weird glint in their eyes, I knew it.

It's Showtime!

They attacked so fast and in sync, it was just plain creepy.

Pavel took on the head guardian, and the game was on.

Punches and kicks landed right and left, and the other guardians were putting up quite the fight, but Abe didn't do stuff half way through. I guess he does know how to plan a prison break after all…

I tried to help as much as I could, which was that I occasionally put my foot through the cell bars to let someone trip or I'd try to distract them with a punch that would never really have done any damage but then Abe's guardians could finish it off.

It was still mid battle when out of nowhere Pavel appeared in front of me, a set of keys in his hands.

He was searching the key for my lock when he suddenly was attacked from behind, but he turned around just in time to dodge the punch that was directed at his head and knock the guard back into the fighting crowd.

"Rose, as soon as I get you out of here, you need to get outside," he murmured while still searching for the key.

"A car will be waiting at the gate, get in, and tell the driver _'__Beraber ait yılan__'_." I frowned at the sound of what he said. It sounded foreign. I tried to copy what Pavel said. _Beraber at dılan. Beraber it yılan._ Ugh, what kinda language was this? Arabic? İ suddenly thought that might be it, considering where abe came from...  
"Rose? Rose! You need to Remember that! The driver will bring you to the place where Mr. Mazur will meet you in a few days." Pavel found the right key and quickly unlocked the door.

He looked me in the eyes.

"When you're at the place your supposed to be, open the door only for people who say the code line. _'__Beraber ait yılan__'_ no one else!" I repeated it what he said a few times again before I nodded, slipping into full guardian mode at once.

"How do I have to move to the gate? Just as fast as I can or use the shadows and make sure I'm invisible?" I asked, in my head already planning routes and ways to escape in both case scenarios.

Pavel thought about it.

"Make sure that no one sees you, but if they do, just make a run for it."

"Clear and simple, just how I like my plans…" I muttered to myself but Pavel heard anyway.

For the first time since I met him, I actually saw him smile.

"Take care Rose," I stepped out the cell and almost took off when I froze.

"But, what about you guys?" it suddenly dawned on me.

Pavel's smile turned into a grin.

"Don't you know your father by now, Rose? He has a plan, he always has. Who do you think you got your evil mind from?" He actually _winked_ and I realized then I really liked Pavel.

"Now go, and be safe!" he yelled as I sprinted out the door out in the light of day.

I stopped in my tracks for a second as the sun rays hit my face and marveled in the warmth. God, I thought that I'd never be able to feel this again!

Realizing I was wasting precious time, I turned and darted of into the woods that surrounded the walls of court, using every shadow and dark spot I could to avoid being seen.

The gate was in sight now and I pressed myself up against a wall as a guard passed me about 2 feet.

Huh, idiot!

If it was him protecting the queen, it's no miracle that she got killed!

I turned around and suddenly, as if appearing out of thin air, a hand clasped around my mouth and pulled me back against the attacker.

I panicked and instinctively started pulling at the hand that covered my mouth trying to scream, ignoring and blocking out whatever the guy holding me was saying.

But then I froze. What was I doing? I was trained to escape from this kind of situations.

I steadied myself and then… I kicked back with my foot right into the crown jewels of the male stranger who had been holding me.

Wasting no time, as soon as his hands were gone I turned and roundhouse kicked him in the chest. My fist was flying in the direction of his face before in even realized it myself.

The guy fell on the ground and I kicked him against his head, trying to make sure he was unconscious.

Mere moments before my foot hit target, I froze.

No. fucking. Way. In. hell.

You _had_ to be kidding me!

_**PLEASE READ ATHORS NOTE:**__ ohhhh, I'm such a bitch! First letting you wait this long (which I apologize for) and then make it way too short (which I apologize for) and it being poorly written (which I apologize for) and a cliffy on top (which I DON'T apologize for! MWUHAHAHA!). Huh, a lot of apologies… thanks to the reviewers and I would love it if all my readers did that! It inspires me to write (Cheesy, Huh?) and write faster too. I think I'll update when I find time to, because teachers and homework are killing me right now! English stepped it up, so did French, which I suck at, and ancient Greek! Romanian isn't as big a pain in the ass as it used to be neither is math, but that's mainly because I have now a teacher who can actually teach! I'm sick at home right now, sore throat which, really, really hurts! I wish I would be a Dhampir at st. vlads… never getting sick and not that much homework would be perfect… Anyone, Maybe you know why I chose a school which makes you take Ancient Greek and Romanian? Learning a new alphabet really sucks when you had a teacher last year who almost didn't teach you anything… Love, RET!_


	9. Chapter 7

**Last sacrifice § Chapter 7**

I think my jaw just about hit the floor when I saw those familiar brown eyes look up into mine.

Yep, before me was lying the, former (or so I wanted to believe), love of my life, Dimitri Belikov.

Of course. Just my damned luck.

I quickly pulled him into the shadows. He was swaying slightly, and it gave me a bit satisfaction that that was because of me.

"_What _the hell are you doing?" I hissed.

Dimitri focused on me and looked me over like I was crazy.

"I could be asking you that too, you know. Aren't you supposed to be in jail right now?" the sarcasm dripped of his voice.

I smiled smugly.

"I'm a guardian, I'm supposed to protect my charge, Lissa, which I'm trying to do," my voice turned pissed instead of smug "And, honestly Belikov, you're _not_ helping."

"Protect her? By breaking out of jail? By getting involved with one of the most infamous mobsters known? That's how you want to protect her?" he whisper-yelled, dropping the mask for a second.

Wait! Mobster? Ow, right. Abe.

I laughed to myself.

"There is so little you know, Belikov. And I think I can get involved with anyone that I want. Especially when it's my own father we're talking about." Dimitri's rage calmed that instant and he looked at me weirdly. I swear I could hear the pieces click in his mind.

"Come on Belikov, do the math, it ain't that hard." I said in full Rose-Hathaway-bitch-mode.

"You…you're," he couldn't get his words right, so I decided to help him a little.

"Yes, I'm Zmey, err, Abe's daughter. Huh, the daughter of a mobster… explains some stuff, doesn't it?" I said like I was talking to a five-year old.

He was dumbfounded as he stared me over again.

"Now, if you excuse me, I gotta go. My ride's waiting." I turned around, looking if the guardians were already alarmed, but there was no one in sight.

When I wanted to make a run for it, I suddenly got pulled back at my arm. By Dimitri.

Again.

God, he was annoying tonight.

He looked still shocked when he mumbled the most stupid thing he said that night.

"I…I came to break you out of prison…" I tried to raise one eyebrow, and failed.

"Well, no need for that. I'm already getting help and I don't nee-"

"I won't let you leave without me!" he seemed to have gained control again, and looked fiercely into my eyes.

I saw the determination in his and for a second; I could almost imagine that he still loved me. Almost.

And then the way his voice sounded. I felt the ripping in my heart.

It hurt. A lot.

"Dimitri," I said slowly, refusing to meet his eyes "Why on earth would you want to go with me? Besides, I don't even want _you_ with me. I'm perfectly fine on my own, I don't need you to look after me."

Ow, how much I _did_ want him to come, no matter the fierceness in my voice.

He started to protest, but I cut him off before he even got a full word out.

"Dimitri, I need your help!" the words left my mouth before I even realized it, and I was about to take them back as I realized they were true. Well, sort of.

"You need to do what I can't do," I said quickly "You need to protect Lissa for me. Really protect. I can't do that now, and the only one I trust with her is you."

I finally looked up.

"Please."

In truth, I didn't beg him to protect Lissa, but to leave me alone, to just go.

I think he knew that. But then again, it wouldn't be for the first time. Sometimes he seemed to know me better than I knew myself, which could be a pain in the ass.

He sighed and hung his head for a second, when he looked up he had his guardian mask in place.

"I'll come with you till the car." He wasn't really asking, and I knew that I wasn't going to get anything better, considering his mood swings lately.

Huh, kind of ironic, isn't it?

First, I can't even speak to him, and then, he wants to break me out of a freaking high-security prison, on his own!

He really should make up his mind, and a part of me, a rather big part I might add, still hoped that he would come back. But there was also a pissed off part in me that wanted to hit him, and kick him and hurt him, because he had hurt me. So bad.

I shuddered because of the cool air and the thoughts running through my mind.

"Fine, but only till the car. After that you'd better get your sorry ass back to your room before anyone suspects _you_ of getting me out of prison." I said.

I looked again if the cost was clear, when suddenly, loud screams came from the directions of the cellblocks.

I looked back, terror-stricken, so did Dimitri.

I knew it was now or never and without looking back or being concerned anyone might see me, I bolted for the gate.

First I heard only one pair of running footsteps behind me, and I knew that it was Dimitri, though I couldn't believe the idiot still wanted to come with me to the car.

Soon after though, something that sounded like a whole freaking army chasing after me, joined Dimitri's footsteps.

I could only hope they hadn't seen me, because if they could, they sure as hell could see Dimitri too and he'd be screwed.

If people saw him with me, all his work to convince people he wasn't a soulless monster anymore, would be gone, and they'd probably accuse him of murdering the queen too.

Perfect! Just what I needed! _Another _complication!

I saw the gate, and to my luck there were only two guards, which I thought I could easily take down.

But of course, fate being fate and karma being a bitch, they were locking down the gate!

"Son of a bitch!" I swore under my breath.

As if I did it every day, my mind immediately wandered out, thinking of any way to get around them, or if I had to, _through them_.

No need though, because in that moment the gate got freaking _stuck!_

It could've been Abe's work, fate or god if you believed in him but o, was I grateful.

_Okay, god, I owe you one! _I thought as I lunged for the nearest guard and took him down. One blow to his side, one to his head, and he was done.

I looked over my shoulder to find where the fuck the other had gone and saw to my shock that Dimitri was fighting that one.

Did Dimitri have a freaking death wish or what?

Now they would surely accuse _him_ of treason if he was caught with me.

I groaned as I ran over at him and kicked the guardian in his side, making him lose balance. Dimitri knocked the guy unconscious and I saw he hit a bit harder than necessary.

I bolted for the fence, Dimitri on my tail and the other guardians not far behind.

_Please don't see Dimitri, please don't see Dimitri! _I chanted in my head.

When we got out, I didn't even think of slowing down.

Not all that far away I saw a car, engine roaring.

I screeched to a halt and so did Dimitri. When he looked at me confusedly, I gestured back to the walls of court.

"You said you'd come till the car! There's the car," I pointed towards it "And you need to get back to court and make sure no one suspects _you_ of breaking me out." I sounded like a freaking nanny telling a 5-year old what to do rather than a girl who is telling a 6'7 tall Russian off…

Without sparing him another look I ran off towards the car, going through the bushes. I knew that any moment the guardians could catch up and boy, I'd be screwed then.

My mind wasn't worrying about that, though.

I thought of Lissa, and hoped Dimitri would keep her safe. And above all, I hoped Adrian would forgive me when if- _when _I came back.

My mind also went to Dimitri, wondering if he was already at the back gate, if they let him in.

I really hoped he wasn't caught, or accused of getting me out of jail. And of course Pavel and the other guardians could be in major trouble too…

Fuck! I only now realized _they _could just as well end up in prison! Pavel and his group against all the guardians in court? That was a lost match!

I slapped a hand against my forehead while running the last few feet towards the car.

I contemplated if I really should go, but then I remembered that when I was locked up too, I couldn't do anything for them either.

I opened the car door and I saw a panicked, fragile looking human-man behind the steering wheel.

Abe needed to get better 'contacts', as he liked to call them, cause I was sure I could better drive than that guy.

I ripped the door open and jumped in the back seat.

"Go! They'll be right here!" the guy only stared at me with his eyes wide.

He stumbled something, but I didn't understand.

"What? Come on man, start driving!" he shook his head, which pissed me off.

He said something again, but I still couldn't understand what he said.

I was about to fall out at him again, when I realized the guy wasn't speaking unclear, he was just speaking a different language.

Ah, great Abe! Just perfect!

I listened closely as the man rambled on and with a shock I recognized he was speaking Russian! Ow, I'm screwed.

I should have learned Russian when I was there! Of course, I'd had some other stuff on my mind back then…

I remembered what Pavel had said to me but with all that panic, I had forgotten the password!

Shit! Shit, shit, SHIT!

"Come on man, drive! Err, Robbed at Ella?" No, that wasn't it!

I swear I could hear screams getting louder.

"Ummm, Arab and Dylan?" the guy looked like he was about to have a nervous break-down- and like I was a mad woman.

Damn it! It started with be-be-_berabe_-

"_Beraber ait yilan_!" I yelled in sudden outburst, almost jumping so high I hit my head.

The drivers eyes lit up, and he wanted to start the car,

The second the motor made a sound, the backdoor flew open, and a scream escaped my mouth.

It got cut off when the person dove forward and covered my mouth, I started to fight him off, until I suddenly heard him yell a few things at the guy behind the steering wheel. He spoke Russian, but that voice I would've recognized anywhere.

Not again!

Just as the driver floored the gas pedal, the intruder slammed the door of the car shut, and finally went off of me.

I clamped myself at the passenger seat in front of me to keep me steady, because the guy was driving insanely fast and I hadn't had the chance to buckle up.

I stared furiously at the man that faced me with cool eyes from the other side of the backseats in the car.

Dimitri.

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE, PLEASE READ: hey guys! I'm sorry I didn't update soon but yeah, school is the only excuse I got, but it's a good one though! I've started the year off fairly well! In Holland our grades go from 1 to 10, 10 being the best and till now I had: for English; 8,6 + 8,6 + 7,1 (which made my day) and for ancient Greek; 5,5 and a unknown but much better grade! Math test is coming up and I'm afraid I'll screw that one up majorly cause I just suck at math and for history I had a freaking 8,8! My friend, who is an freaking genius child by the way, had an 8! I had a higher grade than her! I was so happy! It is probably one of the only times I'll ever have that so I'm enjoying it as much as I can! I also screwed up a little something for Romanian, but that's easy to patch up on… I hope… well, anyways… tell me what you think! I won't update till I have 40 reviews! (is that too much?) did you like/hate? And tell me what you think of the end! And just so you know, Rose wont forgive Dimitri easily in my story! The trouble only just started… Hehehe…**_


	10. SORRY!

_**Hey guys! So sorry for the confusion, but I posted Chapter 7, and then I removed an author's note so instead of nr. 10 chapter 7 is now on nr. 9. Go there to read it!**_


	11. Chapter 8Part 1

**Last Sacrifice **** chapter 8—Part 1**

After what seemed an eternity of throwing Dimitri murderous looks and he giving me nothing but a stoic glare, the car finally screeched to a halt.

Immediately I jumped out, slamming the car door, not even paying attention to the driver anymore, who sped off after Dimitri said something in Russian to him.

Why the fuck had he come with me? I thought the message had come through clear!

All I focused on was Dimitri, and my anger towards him. And the lust. And the love.

Oh god, why was I still in love with him?

None of my thoughts showed on my face, I made sure of that.

As usual I hid my feelings with attitude. And this time, anger.

"Are you deaf? Didn't I tell you to get back to court?" I carefully kept my distance, afraid that if I got too close to him, he would see through the anger and attitude, right to the love and lust. And when that happened, he would repeat those words again.

_Love fades. Mine has._

No. That never again.

"Ow, I heard you." Was his only answer, along with a cool look in his eyes.

He turned to the little house we were standing in front off, and walked briskly over to the door.

I knew my mouth was gaping, but I didn't care.

Who did Dimitri think he was?

Ignoring me like that!

Dimitri was now at the door of the little brick house, and started fiddling with the lock.

I decided to temporarily try to get Dimitri out of my mind so I could focus on my surroundings.

The little brick house that I was facing looked nice, but also like it didn't belong here at all. Like someone had accidently dropped it here.

I was surrounded by trees and we had come here on a barely unnoticeable path, but I could also hear cars of maybe a highway far away.

So, here I was, stuck in the middle of nowhere, together with the ex-love of my life, on the run for every vampire or Dhampir that didn't think I was innocent and having to figure out if Lissa might not be the only Dragomir…

Yep. My life sucks.

Big time.

_**AUTHORS NOTE REALLY IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ:**__** Sorry this is so short but I really won't have time to update anytime soon… and as you saw, this is only part one! Listen you guys, I think I've lost a lot of readers so if you actually still are reading this, could you please review? Or else I might have to stop the story cause when no one reads it and school getting harder on top, it wouldn't really make sense for me to continue, would it?**_


	12. Chapter 8 All The Rest!

Last Sacrifice Chapter 8—All The Rest! 

I shook my head and turned. I walked into the little house, looking around.

Well, house?

Shoebox was more appropriate a name.

I scanned the area with my eyes.

The stairs were almost immediately next to the door, at the right side, and there were a few closed doors, further down the hallway.

I walked into the living room on the left. All the normal stuff was there. Couches, TV, even a rocking chair. I saw Dimitri inspecting the room as well, walking over to the coffee table in the middle of the room. I noticed a letter on it, that Dimitri picked up. After studying the outside for a moment he turned to me. His guardian mask was in place as he handed me the letter.

"It's for you." He said dryly, and his lack of emotion bothered me more than I should have let it. After all, I didn't care about him either anymore, right? So, my snarky attitude immediately poked up his head.

"No, Shit, Belikov! You think? You weren't really supposed to come along, remember?" I ripped the letter out of his hands a bit harsher then needed and I thought I saw him flinch.

His guardian mask slipped slightly, and I saw anger slowly seeping through. I know it sounds like I'm some obsessed addict or something, but even that tad bit emotion made me feel better about myself, knowing I could still cause him to slip. Knowing I was the only one who could cause him to slip.

He opened his mouth with that furious look still in his eyes, but I waved him cockily off in complete Hathaway style.

"Don't even start to _try_, Belikov." I turned tail and walked out of the room, up the stairs, in search of a room that would give me some privacy.

I saw to my relief that there were three doors in the hallway, which hopefully meant there were 2 bedrooms, but I could only pray for that.

I opened the first door that really was bedroom, sat down on the tiny bed there and opened my letter.

_Dear Rosemarie, _I rolled my eyes, when will he ever stop calling me that ridiculous name?

_I have arranged this place for you to stay at while you are… absent. Considering there will be caused quite some commotion because you suddenly disappeared, I won't be joining you until, if things go according to plan, in about two weeks. There is more than enough food stacked in the house for you till then. The house is protected with several wards, and I left you a little present in your drawer._

I leaned over and opened the drawer, finding a silver stake inside it, and a sort of map, which I soon recognized was one of the house, and where the wards were.

_I hope you'll enjoy your stay here, and please, don't do anything you might regret, or that could harm you or the ones you love. (you know I just meant that you should stay the hell here, or you'll face my wrath) _

_Yours Sincerely, _

_Your father, Ibrahim Mazur_

My eyebrows lifted at the last part. Of course I knew Abe could be scary as hell, but he never really cursed, he was more one of the silent threats.

And since when wanted he to be addressed as my father? Ah, well, he was, after all…

I folded the letter a few times before stashing it into my pocket, and decided to go scan the house, cause being inside gave me this icky feeling all over, like I couldn't breathe well.

As I made my way through the hallway, and down the stairs the feeling got worse, and it was like being locked up in that cell all over again.

I ended up running down the stairs, almost tripping while doing so, and slamming the door open, screeching to a stop on the front porch step. Finally, I felt as if I could get in air again, and I took a deep breath. I hadn't exactly realized how close to death I had been before, and now it really hit me, I wanted to never be locked up in a room again.

I walked, or more like ran, down the steps of the front porch, until I reached the little grassy area in front of the house.

Smiling, without thinking twice of it, I let myself fall to the ground, feeling only pure bliss when I hit the grass.

I was finally free again, I thought to myself and grinned up at the night sky like some stoned idiot, but I didn't care.

Suddenly a shouting voice and running footsteps made my little bell of happiness disintegrate.

I knew the voice who was shouting in Russian so well, and to some expert I even recognized what he was saying, though I didn't understand it.

I bet Dimitri was using up his whole cuss word vocabulary, cause just when I heard him step outside he had started repeating his words.

I looked up annoyed that he brought me out of my daze and to see why he had suddenly broken of his string of swearwords.

"Geez, Belikov! What the fuck is wrong. With.. yo…" my words faded away as I looked up at Dimitri, standing in the moonlight, and the smoldering yet unfamiliar look in his eyes.

Who was I kidding when I said I was over him? in that very moment, I felt as if my whole world would be complete, if I could have Dimitri. I wouldn't have needed anything else ever again.

I was lost in the endless, depths that were his eyes, and it was like nothing else held meaning for me in that moment, except his eyes.

But because I was so fixated on them, I could also see the quick change as his eyes went from an emotion I didn't understand, to something else, something fiery that made me think back to the few times I had made him lose his temper.

"What. The. Hell. Do you think you're doing?" his tone was sharper and held more emotion towards me, even if it was anger, than it had in all the time since he had been back.

I was confused though.

"I…I'm sorry! What?" I said unbelievingly.

The anger really showed in his features now.

"Abe told you to stay! Why don't you listen? You… You can't just…Leave!" his hands were shaking violently.

"You can't always just run away, Rose! That doesn't solve anything! Don't be such a coward, don't run away the second things get rough!"

I really didn't understand all he said, until I suddenly realized what he was talking about. I stared at him in disbelief, waiting for him to realize and take his words back, and when I saw he wouldn't, I just…cracked.

"Don't talk about something what you know nothing about." I said, voice dangerously low.

"I ran away with Lissa back then, because I had to. And I'm not the coward who runs away for his problems here." I got up, and pushed passed him.

"You are." Were the last cold words I spoke to him before I walked briskly inside.

_**Hey guys! It's me, RET! I have some pretty bad news, and a reason why my story line may get a bit depressed. My grandfather doesn't have much time left, if you know what I mean… he's dying of lung cancer, and he's too weak to get a treatment. I'm sorry it took so long, but here it is. Also sorry it turned out this bad, but forgive me. For once I wanted to let Dimitri loose his cool and rose to remain the statue. Didn't turn out that well… schools going bad as well, I just can't concentrate with everything that is going on right now. Love, RET!**_


	13. Apologies, and questions

Okay, easy guys! Just… Listen to me for a sec! *is shaking as she faces angry mob, torches and those fork-thingy's included* I know not many of you will read this, as you probably gave up on my story a while ago, and don't bother to check if it gets updated anymore, and that's where the first apology comes in. I'm reeeaaally sorry for just kinda disappearing all at once. That was unfair of me, to just stop writing and not tell you guys about it. It's been so long since I updated, about 4 months now… I know, I know! I'm awful! But it's just…. Well, first of all, I've been a little uninspired to write on (school is taking my imagination away, blame them!) and second, I'm sure all of you read Last Sacrifice, the original one I mean, which I loved btw, and maybe you understand that, well, that was it for Rose and Dimitri! Their story's been told, and even though I kinda wished it wouldn't have ended, every story does, and I'm content with how it is now. I can't go on telling a story, that's found it's end, and for which the only way it is to grow, is in our own imagination. I just… can't, and I hope you'll understand that. And, of course, because it's always the same, school is getting in the way, but I already explained that once. But, that's not all… writing means the world to me, it really does. And this fanfic and your reviews have helped me improve my writing so much! I can't thank you guys enough! But, you know, a fanfic, is just that, a fanfic! With someone elses' characters, and I want to write about my own! In secret from you guys, I have been doing just that, and together with one of my best friend's, we've come up with our very own story! So this is kinda asking you guys another favor. Would some of you like to read a few things I wrote, review it, and that way help me improve my writing again? I'd appreciate it so much… Anyway, I think I'll delete this story after a while, because I don't expect many people who'll read this, or that someone will want to adopt this story.

Peace, love and Rock'n'Roll, RET!


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